SOFIA, April 18: A spokesman for radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr called for the sending of UN peacekeeping troops to Iraq and demanded the immediate withdrawal of US-led occupation forces, in an interview with Bulgarian television broadcast Sunday.

"It is in the interest of the whole world to send peacekeeping forces under the UN flag" to Iraq, said Qais al-Khazaali, spokesman for Sadr's Mehdi Army militia. But "the occupation forces must withdraw from the occupied regions and must release political prisoners.

The war will thus end," he said. "If the Americans continue to act on the ground," the war "in Vietnam will appear easy and simple" compared with what awaits them in Iraq. Khazali warned US forces against occupying the Shiite holy city of Najaf, where Sadr is staying.

"The resistance and the current rebellion by our people against the occupation force is weak and insignificant compared with what will happen in the event of an attack against Najaf. A direct confrontation with American people will follow."

"Seven Shiite leaders have agreed not to allow a violation of the holy character of Najaf and Karbala," he said. Baghdad, the Shiite Dawa party said on Sunday its representatives held a "positive" meeting with the US-led coalition to revive a stalled mediation for a peaceful resolution of the standoff with Sadr in Najaf and Karbala.

"We met (US overseer Paul) Bremer. We feel that this contact was positive and that the coalition is prepared to resolve the crisis peacefully," said Adnan Ali al-Kazem, an aide to Dawa party chief Ibrahim Jaafari. -AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Solidarity with Palestine
Updated 29 Nov, 2024

Solidarity with Palestine

The wretched of the earth see in the Palestinian struggle against Israel a mirror of themselves.
Little relief for public
29 Nov, 2024

Little relief for public

INFLATION, the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services over a given period of time, has receded...
Right to education
29 Nov, 2024

Right to education

IT is troubling to learn that over 16,500 students of the University of Karachi (KU) have defaulted on fee payments...
A hasty retreat
Updated 28 Nov, 2024

A hasty retreat

Govt should not extend its campaign of violence against PTI and its leaders, thinking it now has the upper hand. Enough is enough.
Lebanon truce
28 Nov, 2024

Lebanon truce

WILL it hold? That is the question many in the Middle East and beyond will be asking after a 60-day ceasefire ...
MDR anomaly removed
28 Nov, 2024

MDR anomaly removed

THE State Bank’s decision to remove its minimum deposit rate requirement for conventional banks on deposits from...