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US, Fallujah rebels agree 12-hour ceasefire
The US-led coalition and insurgents in the Sunni bastion of Fallujah agreed to a 12-hour ceasefire beginning today at 0600 GMT (1600 AEST) after six days of fierce clashes which claimed the lives of hundreds of people, an Iraqi mediator said. However, the insurgents threatened to kill a presumed American citizen unless the siege of the Sunni Muslim town was lifted in the latest example of their new tactic of kidnapping foreigners to win concessions on the ground and put pressure on US allies in Iraq. "The two sides have agreed to observe a 12-hour ceasefire tomorrow, Sunday, at 10am," or 0600 GMT (1600 AEST), a senior member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, Hatem al-Husseini, said. "This will pave the way for the gradual pullout of US Marine troops from Fallujah," Husseini said after a meeting with coalition officials in Baghdad on his return from the mediation talks in the town west of the capital. I doubt it. My assessment is complete disarmanent of the entire city is the objective. A senior coalition spokesman had no comment on the negotiations but said a statement would be issued later today. The apparent breakthrough came after the coalition suspended offensive operations in Fallujah and offered the talks. A 35-member Iraqi delegation, led by members of the US-installed interim Governing Council, entered Fallujah and held meetings to mediate an end to the bloodshed. However, a group calling itself "the mujaheieen of Iraq to US forces" still threatened to kill a presumed US national identified as Thomas Hamill if the siege was not lifted. "If this is not heeded within 12 hours starting at 6pm on Saturday, April 10, 2004, (0100 Sunday AEST), he will be treated worse than those who were killed and burned in Fallujah," the group said in an audiotaped message read on Al-Jazeera satellite TV. I very much doubt it will hold for 12 hours, but we shall see. Posted by: Phil B 2004-04-10 |
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