(VOI) -- Security forces in the restive province of Diala arrested 29 wanted men and defused a house bomb on Monday, according to the Iraqi defense ministry's media advisor. "Security forces carrying out Operation Bashaer al-Salam in Diala conducted search raids in the province's areas of Umm al-Katan, al-Mualimeen and al-Katoun, resulting in the capture of 29 wanted men and the dismantling of a booby-trapped house as well as seizur of a large amount of arms & munitions and improvised explosive devices (IEDs)," Maj. General Muhammad al-Aaskari told Aswat al-Iraq -- Voices of Iraq -- (VOI).Aaskari had told VOI in earlier statements on Monday that the general commander of the armed forces gave orders to stop military operations in Diala to give gunmen a chance to lay down their arms and turn themselves in to security forces.
The Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has offered the gunmen "whose hands were not drenched in Iraqi blood" a general amnesty during the August 8-14 period provided that they turn themselves in to security authorities.