A leading figure of the recent sit-in protests in Anbar (west of Baghdad) revealed that Sunni politician and Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq has been mediating with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to calm things down. But this is causing sharp divisions among the participating groups of the sit-in.

The leader told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that “a meeting was held at a house of one the largest Sunni tribes in Ramadi. The meeting included many sit-in leaders as well as representatives of extremist Sunni parties to hear a proposal about how to resolve the crisis and reduce the possibility of sliding into military confrontations.”

Earlier, Mutlaq had withdrawn from the political process to protest the Hawija events. But after the provincial elections on April 20, he started efforts to bring the conflicting parties together. Mutlaq did not do well in the elections. The Arab Iraqiya Bloc, which he endorsed in 12 provinces, won only five seats in 12 districts: two seats in Salahuddin and three in Baghdad.

Before the meeting, which happened at the beginning of May, Anbar Gov. Qasim al-Fahdawi met with Mutlaq in Anbar in the presence of provincial council members. Local TV showed Mutlaq insisting on a “truce with the government” and on “taking a stand to remove armed appearances because they may lead to violence and perhaps a repeat of the Hawija incident.”