[Allan]

However, it must be said they are Shia Muslims.
The area we have been travelling through is predominantly Shia.

Saddam Hussein is a Sunni and a northerner.
The Sunni strongholds lie around Baghdad and to the north.

There is a terrific danger this could turn out to be a Shia-Sunni civil war.
God help us if that happens.
I am certain the forces holding out in the south are Sunnis
who are terrified by the thought
of surrendering in the Shia strongholds.
The Shia region ends just at the outskirts of Baghdad.

[faithincowboys]

oh i know they are. rather than wait for us, they were directed to go south and wreak havoc on us. utterly predictable!!!

[Mitchell]

There is a terrific danger this could turn out to be a Shia-Sunni civil war.

Fox just carried a report from Sky News that there is a popular uprising among the Shia population in Basra against Saddam Hussein's forces. The report said that the rebellion is being aided by the British troops who are surrounding the city.