Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Association of Muslim Scholars warns Iraqi forces
An influential Iraqi Muslim group urged Iraqi security forces not to fight with US troops preparing to storm the beseiged city of Falluja.
"We call on the Iraqi forces, the National Guard and others
who are mostly Muslims ... to beware of making the grave mistake of invading Iraqi cities under the banner of forces who respect no religion or human rights," the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) said in a statement on Monday.
"We call on the Iraqi forces, the National Guard and others
who are mostly Muslims ... to beware of making the grave mistake of invading Iraqi cities under the banner of forces who respect no religion or human rights," the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) said in a statement on Monday.
"Beware of being deceived that you are fighting terrorists from outside the country, because by God you are fighting the townspeople and targeting its men, women and children and
history will record every drop of blood you spill in oppressing the people of your nation," the AMS said.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi on Monday authorised US and Iraqi forces to begin an offensive against Falluja and Ramadi to root out foreign fighters and Saddam Hussein loyalists he says are entrenched there.
The US and the interim Iraqi government says the offensive is intended to help stablilise the country before January elections.
Poll boycott threatened
However, residents say they know nothing of the foreign fighters and daily US bombardments just bolster local resistance.
The AMS has threatened to call for a boycott of the poll if assaults on cities in Iraq's Sunni heartland escalate.
The last time US forces stormed Falluja in April, some units of Iraq's fledgling security forces refused to fight.
Moreover, the Association, which has helped negotiate the release of foreign hostages in Iraq, warned security personnel not to repeat the "mistake" they made in joining US forces to quell an uprising in Najaf in August.
US soldiers captured?
Meanwhile, Dr Muhammad Ayash al-Qubaisi, a Qatar-based spokesman for the AMS, told Aljazeera.net on Monday some 36 US soldiers had been captured by Falluja fighters since the US-led offensive on the city got underway.
The Qatar-based spokesman said several eyewitnesses in Falluja had confirmed the capture of the soldiers.
A spokesman for US-led forces in Iraq told Aljazeera.net that the reports were baseless.
"I can fundamentally refute that any US soldiers were captured today," he said.
Aljazeera + Agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B204BBDD-C967-4E00-A579-E19DBAC33BC1.htm
history will record every drop of blood you spill in oppressing the people of your nation," the AMS said.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi on Monday authorised US and Iraqi forces to begin an offensive against Falluja and Ramadi to root out foreign fighters and Saddam Hussein loyalists he says are entrenched there.
The US and the interim Iraqi government says the offensive is intended to help stablilise the country before January elections.
Poll boycott threatened
However, residents say they know nothing of the foreign fighters and daily US bombardments just bolster local resistance.
The AMS has threatened to call for a boycott of the poll if assaults on cities in Iraq's Sunni heartland escalate.
The last time US forces stormed Falluja in April, some units of Iraq's fledgling security forces refused to fight.
Moreover, the Association, which has helped negotiate the release of foreign hostages in Iraq, warned security personnel not to repeat the "mistake" they made in joining US forces to quell an uprising in Najaf in August.
US soldiers captured?
Meanwhile, Dr Muhammad Ayash al-Qubaisi, a Qatar-based spokesman for the AMS, told Aljazeera.net on Monday some 36 US soldiers had been captured by Falluja fighters since the US-led offensive on the city got underway.
The Qatar-based spokesman said several eyewitnesses in Falluja had confirmed the capture of the soldiers.
A spokesman for US-led forces in Iraq told Aljazeera.net that the reports were baseless.
"I can fundamentally refute that any US soldiers were captured today," he said.
Aljazeera + Agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B204BBDD-C967-4E00-A579-E19DBAC33BC1.htm
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$210.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network