The Farce Continues in Najaf
Yesterday’s reported hudna between the Iraqi government and Muqtada al-Sadr didn’t even last 24 hours: Iraqi gov’t says offensive imminent; accuses Sadr of trickery.
NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - The Iraqi government said an offensive against Shiite rebels in the holy city of Najaf would be launched within hours unless militia leader Moqtada Sadr publicly disarms, after charging him with trickery.
“The Iraqi government has laid down conditions that Moqtada Sadr must promise in a press conference not to resort to violence in the future and that the Mehdi Army is to be dissolved,” Minister of State Kassem Daoud said Thursday. [And a promise like that would be worth … how much? —ed.]
The radical cleric must also submit names of all people tried by his religious courts and release all detainees, including Iraqi police, soldiers and national guardsmen, Daoud told a Najaf news conference.
“All this should be declared in a press conference, otherwise the coming hours will be decisive,” said Daoud, accusing Sadr of being untrustworthy. “We have been preparing for a military offensive for five days to put an end to this crisis,” he added.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for Sadr said he had accepted three conditions laid down at a key national conference, namely to disarm his militia, leave the Imam Ali shrine, one of the holiest in Shiite Islam, and join the political process.
“Sayyed (honorific) Moqtada Sadr… accepted all the conditions extended to him, but there must be a ceasefire for the steps to be implemented,” said Ahmed al-Shaibani.
But government spokesman Gurgis Sada was unimpressed, telling AFP that there had been no official word from Sadr. “He has used various subterfuges by speaking through his aides. It is he and he alone who must speak at this press conference,” Daoud said, insisting that Sadr surrender all his weapons to police across the country.