The Arab League and the Egyptian government on Thursday voiced their concern over the deadly fighting in Iraq's holy Shiite city of Najaf and called for the resumption of dialogue.
| The guys with the turbans are getting whacked, are they? |
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa issued a statement warning that any attack on the holy sites of Najaf could have "dangerous consequences". The head of the 22-member pan-Arab body urged "all the warring parties to immediately halt military operations under way in Najaf in order to allow the evacuation of the dead and wounded." US troops backed by Iraqi forces sealed off all approaches to the heart of Najaf, which includes the revered Imam Ali shrine, as US warplanes pounded militia positions and residents fled. The unprecedented intensity of the fighting in Najaf raised fears of a high casualty toll. Mussa also said he was "confident the interim Iraqi government could start an immediate dialogue in order to stop the fighting." Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit also issued a statement saying Cairo had "expressed its concern over the latest developments in Najaf ... and urged restraint on all parties." |