Iraq's US-appointed governing council urged Saturday an immediate ceasefire in the flashpoint town of Fallujah, criticising the US drive against Muslim assailants as "collective punishment" of civilians as well. "We call for an immediate ceasefire and for resorting to political solutions for situations in some parts of the country, particularly in the city of Fallujah," the interim council said in a statement. The statement, issued after six days of fierce fighting in Fallujah that has killed more than 400 Iraqis, denounced what it called "military solutions to the problems and the collective punishment of innocent civilians."
It called for speeding up the process of transfering power from the US-led coalition to Iraqis and an end to all armed presences across the country. The statement said the council held an extraordinary session late Friday to discuss "the complicated and painful situation in the country and the necessary measures to adopt in order to resolve the crisis." The council urged the adoption of policies to fight unemployment and resolve social and economic problems in Iraq, instead of "facing security problems with military and police ways." Angry members of the interim council on Friday threatened to resign if American forces did not halt their bloody offensive in Fallujah west of Baghdad that has also left 1,000 Iraqis wounded. |