March 9, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 5, 1424

WASHINGTON, March 8: The United States plans to split Iraq into three zones immediately after the war, with each zone having a separate civilian administrator, Pentagon officials said on Saturday.

All three administrators, however, will work under Gen Tommy Franks, Commander-in-Chief of the US Central Command, said the officials in an exclusive briefing to a news agency.

Ethnic and geographic boundaries will be the key consideration while dividing Iraq into northern, southern and central sectors, the officials said, adding borders separating the three zones had not yet been determined.

Shias will be the dominant group in the southern sector while Kurds will dominate the northern sector, the officials said. The central sector, they said, would include the rest of the population.

Existing major roads, terrain features and population centres will also be kept in mind while dividing the country, one of the largest in the Middle East, the officials added.

The Pentagon officials, however, insisted that despite the division Iraq would remain a single country, but did not explain how.

The three administrators could be American civilians or could be from coalition countries and would report to retired US Army Lt. Gen. Jay Garner.