Iraq still locked in communal struggle: Pentagon

Recent security improvements in Iraq are "fragile, reversible and uneven" and the country is still locked in a "communal struggle for power and resources," a Pentagon report said.

The quarterly report to Congress detailed a dramatic 77 percent decline in violence compared to the same period last year and said progress has been made even as US forces have drawn down.

"However, they remain fragile, reversible, and uneven," the report said.

It warned that a host of unresolved issues have the potential to upset progress.

Among them are the upcoming provincial elections, the integration of Sunni "Sons of Iraq" into the security forces, the status of the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk, and Iranian support for Shiite extremist groups.

"While security has improved dramatically, the fundamental character of the conflict in Iraq remains unchanged -- a communal struggle for power and resources," the report said.

It said there was a possibility that insurgent attacks could rise in the run-up to provincial elections if Sunnis perceive the Shiite-led government as hindering them.

Absorbing the so-called "Sons of Iraq," the Sunni militias that turned against Al-Qaeda, into the Iraqi security forces and into civilian jobs meanwhile has become "a significant challenge," the report said.

"The slow pace of transition is a concern," the report said. "Continued GoI (government of Iraq) commitment is required to ensure SoI are fully transitioned to permanent employment," it said.