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Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 13, 2004

International

International

Iraq resistance: Militants take refuge in shrine

BAGHDAD, AUG. 12. The Iraqi Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, called on Thursday on the Shia militants fighting the U.S. and Iraqi forces in the holy city of Najaf to put down their weapons and leave the Imam Ali shrine where they have sought refuge.

Mr. Allawi's appeal, made in a statement read by Iraqi officials, came as the U.S. and Iraqi forces began a major operation in Najaf intended to defeat the militants.

The militants have been holed up in the shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, during the fighting and the U.S. military accused them of launching attacks from the shrine compound.

``These places have never been exposed to such violations in the past,'' he said, adding that the violence has killed many innocent people.

``Our Government calls upon all the armed groups to drop their weapons and return to society,'' Mr. Allawi said. ``We also call upon all the armed men to evacuate the holy shrine and not to violate its holiness.''

Gunbattles

The sound of heavy gunbattles resonated throughout Najaf on Thursday, as the U.S. forces launched a major offensive to crush the militia loyal to the radical Shia cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr.

The fighting began here a week ago and has spread to other Shia areas of the country. Even before the new offensive, intended to rout the militants, the U.S. military estimated it had killed hundreds of them, a figure the militants disputed.

``Major operations to destroy the militia have begun,'' said the U.S. army.

Thousands of U.S. troops were taking part in the offensive, which began with the cordoning off of the revered Imam Ali shrine, where the militants have sought refuge, Najaf's vast cemetery, where much of the fighting was taking place, and Najaf's Old City.

``In terms of combat power, it's doubled,'' it said. ``We're starting to put the pressure on the militia to fight, die, or capitulate.''

Any assault near the militants' refuge in the shrine was expected to be led by Iraqi forces — many of whom have only minimal training — in an effort to lessen the anger from the Shia majority should the revered holy site be damaged.

Taking the shrine itself was not the objective, the U.S. army said, ``but it might be.'' The U.S. commanders say Mr. Allawi would have to approve any operation at the shrine itself.

Explosions

Explosions shook buildings near the shrine on Thursday, as U.S. military vehicles entered the city from the north to the persistent crackle of gunfire.

A convoy of tanks, Humvees and other military vehicles rolled into the city carrying what seemed to be reinforcements and supplies.

The U.S. soldiers had cordoned off the area of Najaf that includes the cemetery, the shrine compound (a huge, circular complex) and the old city, which is just south of the cemetery and shrine, but haven't moved in.

U.N. mission

At the U.N., the Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on Thursday to extend the U.N. mission in Iraq for a year, but how significant a role the world body can play remains in question because of continuing insecurity in the country. The U.N.'s new envoy to Iraq, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi of Pakistan, is expected to take up his post in Baghdad this week with a small team, giving the United Nations an official presence in Iraq for the first time since October.

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