Iraq’s prime minister will send a team to rebel-held Fallujah to discuss clearing the city of insurgents and heavy weapons in a last-ditch bid to avert a full-scale military assault, officials said on Friday.
The comments came as about 1 000 United States and Iraqi troops, who have encircled the city for more than two weeks, said they are prepared for action if ordered.
Iyad Allawi “has agreed to a proposal by certain members of the national council [Iraq’s interim Parliament] to find a peaceful solution” to the stand-off in Fallujah, said council member Ahmad al-Barrak.
“Allawi said he did not have any objections but that this would be the last attempt” at mediation before a possible military assault against the Sunni Muslim bastion, al-Barrak said.
Talks between the US-backed interim government and delegates from the Sunni Muslim hotspot collapsed in mid-October after Allawi ordered the city to surrender Iraq’s most wanted man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and other suspected al-Qaeda-linked militants, or face invasion.
City leaders, however, insist that the Jordanian-born Zarqawi, wanted for a string of deadly attacks and beheading of hostages in Iraq, does not reside there.
Since October 14, US and Iraqi forces have ringed Fallujah, where the military has repeatedly launched air strikes and some limited ground incursions.
“The First Marine Expeditionary Force is prepared to do anything that the Iraqi interim government asks us to do,” said Major Francis Piccoli.
The troops are ready to stand down, maintain their positions or increase their “security operations”, he said, using a military term for conducting searches, setting up checkpoints and detaining suspects.
“We have been gearing up for a major operation since April,” said Piccoli.
The marines have their sights set on Fallujah, 50km west of Baghdad, and its sister town of Ramadi — both notorious flashpoints of insurgent activity against US troops and Iraq’s new security forces.
“For the First Marine Expeditionary Force, Fallujah and Ramadi are big concerns right now,” Piccoli said.
The marines want to help ensure the two towns are ready for national elections promised by January, with a registration process for voters and candidates due to start at the beginning of November, added the major.
A spokesperson for the prime minister’s office said the delegation “may be the last chance” to rid the city of insurgents and convince people to hand over heavy and medium weapons.
“Allawi has asked the leaders of Fallujah to help the Iraqi police and national guard with the assistance of the [US-led] multinational forces” to rid the city of rebel fighters, he said.
“We are ready to start the reconstruction of Fallujah,” the spokesperson added. — Sapa-AFP
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