Iraq began taking control of 100,000 Sunni Arab anti-terrorist fighters from US forces yesterday, amid concerns that many in the militia credited with curbing the bloodshed in the country will be neglected.
The transfer of responsibility and payments for all ''Sons of Iraq'' begins with 54,000 men in the province of Baghdad.
The United States military uses Sons of Iraq, or ''SOIs'', to refer to the militia, also known as Sahwa (Awakening) Councils, which it recruited from among Sunni tribesmen and former insurgents.
Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie said, ''The GoI [Government of Iraq] will pay the first salary on the 31st Oct 2008.''
The monthly bill of Iraq's 54,000 Sahwas is about $US15million ($A18.7 million).
Control of the remaining Sahwas in central, western and north-central Iraq will be transferred gradually.
The mostly former insurgents who fought US and Iraqi forces after Saddam Hussein fell in 2003, have helped curb the violence since late 2006 after they sided with the US to battle al-Qaeda jihadists.
Iraq has said 20 per cent of them would be absorbed into the country's security forces and most of the remainder would be considered for civilian jobs.
The Sahwas have expressed mixed feelings about the transfer.
''I am looking forward to working with the Iraqi Government. I would like to join the police force,'' Firaz Abdullah, 19, said, as he guarded a checkpoint in Baghdad's Sunni bastion of Adhamiyah, a one-time al-Qaeda stronghold.
''It will be good to be paid by the Iraqis rather than the Americans.''
But Sahwa leaders such as Abu Safa'a are worried.
''We are happy but also afraid,'' he said. ''I am concerned about those who do not join the security forces. They are going to be targets of al-Qaeda.'' Mr al-Rubaie said Iraq would continue to employ these men to expand the security gains.
''All volunteers are being carefully screened to ensure their physical abilities and background permit integration into the security forces. All will be treated fairly,'' he said.
Iraq had also taken responsibility for assuring the economic future of those Sahwa volunteers who did not join security forces, Mr al-Rubaie said.
However, if the transfer does not take place smoothly, Iraq risks erasing security gains achieved since late last year, lawmakers and analysts say.
US commanders have also said they would help to ensure a smooth transition, but warned that those fighters who do not find employment could be tempted to return to insurgent activities.
US commander for Baghdad Major-General Jeffery Hammond said ''The Sons of Iraq have paid a heavy price fighting al-Qaeda with us.
''The whole world is watching what the Government does with SOI transition, above all in Baghdad where it starts.''
The number of Iraqis killed in September was 440, little changed from August, officials said. AFP