Pentagon: Iraq to be split into 3 sectors

U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Tommy Franks will be in total charge of Iraq immediately after the war, but will be supported shortly thereafter by three civilian administrators, each in charge of a different geographic sector of the country, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Iraq would be divided into thirds for administrative purposes -- northern, southern and central sectors. The borders of those areas have not been established, according to the Pentagon officials, but the southern sector is expected to be demographically dominated by Shiites and the northern sector by Kurds. Boundary lines would be determined by existing major roads, terrain features and population centers.

Despite the potential ethnic divisions among the civil sectors, officials insist Iraq would remain a single country.

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