Temporary truce reached in Falluja; Al-Sadr rejects disarmament of militia
Falluja (AsiaNews) For the first time in 12 days the inhabitants of the besieged city of Falluja spent a night without having to listen to the roar of airplanes soaring overhead, the explosion of missiles upon their homes and volleys of sniper fire in their neighborhoods.
Ahmad Al-Hardan, head of the Falluja delegation, returned from talks with U.S. authorities expressing great enthusiasm. Al-Hardan said that those who were responsible for the lynching of 4 Americans, who had based their retaliatory actions on the U.S. siege of the city, will be judged by a Falluja judicial authorities.
In turn American troops have agreed to withdraw forces from Falluja's old bridge leading to the city's hospital. This will allow doctors, nurses, patients and ambulances to reach the hospital.
By today American forces will also unfreeze the block they have placed in other zones outside the city, which has been off-limits and where it is believed there are dead bodies and wound still under the rubble of bombarded homes.
Abdel Salam Al-Kbissi, president of the Islamic Council of the Ulemas, said the situation was "very critical", forecasting an uprising in Baghdad as well should the Coalition's grip not be loosened around the city of Falluja.
Al-Kbissi then expresses doubt as to whether American soldiers would withdraw from the city "around which they're digging trenches and showing will to continue their siege."
On another front, there was the first public appearance in several days of the young rebellious Imam Muqtada Al-Sadr in Kufa. In the last few days the imam was seen in Najaf.
Muqtada Al-Sadr denied having agreed to the "disarmament of Al-Mahdi's militia" and asked for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Al-Sadr spoke about the need to "bring to trial those who have committed crimes against the Iraqi people", making clear reference to foreign troops. (PB)
.png)
