Drone_pilot
11-08-04, 17:58
US and Iraqi forces are preparing for a major assault against Shia Muslim fighters in the holy city of Najaf, the US military has said.
US forces have been battling insurgents loyal to radical cleric Moqtada Sadr for the past week.
Hundreds have been reported killed or injured since the fighting began.
One of Iraq's deputy presidents, Ibrahim Jaafari, has called for the US-led forces to withdraw and allow Iraqi security forces to take over.
"I call for multinational forces to leave Najaf and for only Iraqi forces to remain there," he said in remarks broadcast by Arabic TV channel al-Jazeera.
Earlier, he also called on Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army militants to pull back.
BBC REad More (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3555546.stm)
US forces have been battling insurgents loyal to radical cleric Moqtada Sadr for the past week.
Hundreds have been reported killed or injured since the fighting began.
One of Iraq's deputy presidents, Ibrahim Jaafari, has called for the US-led forces to withdraw and allow Iraqi security forces to take over.
"I call for multinational forces to leave Najaf and for only Iraqi forces to remain there," he said in remarks broadcast by Arabic TV channel al-Jazeera.
Earlier, he also called on Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army militants to pull back.
BBC REad More (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3555546.stm)