Anbar's government last week rejected Baghdad's plan for the auction due to the possibility surplus gas will be exported, a move that could deter companies from bidding for Akkas on 20 October.
Anbar's opposition reflects deep discontent in Iraq's Sunni heartland about the Shi'ite-led central government in a country where a volatile mix of religious and ethnic groups allowed bloodshed to erupt after the 2003 US-led invasion.
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