Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday denounced the alleged
killings of Iraqi civilians by US forces and said he asked a
ministerial committee to hold talks with US military to set ground
rules for raids and detentions.
The move came in the wake of an investigation into allegations
that US Marines killed unarmed civilians in the western city of
Haditha.
Al-Maliki said he had ordered the "national security ministerial
committee to follow up on this issue with the multinational forces"
and "to hold talks with the multinational forces to formulate
ground rules for detentions and raids."
When asked about Iraqi complaints that US forces show no regard
for their lives during raids and detentions, al-Maliki said he
objected to such practices.
"We cannot forgive violations of the dignity of the Iraqi
people," he said during a press conference. He also said the
Cabinet had agreed to issue a statement denouncing such
practices.
The killings at Haditha, a city that has been plagued by
insurgents, came after a bomb rocked a military convoy on Nov. 19,
killing a Marine. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a decorated war veteran
who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines shot
and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into
two homes and shot others.
The US military says it constantly strives to avoid civilian
casualties and has promised the deaths in Haditha, 140 miles
northwest of Baghdad, will be fully investigated.
In his first public comments on the incident, President Bush
said Wednesday that he was troubled by the allegations, and that,
"If in fact laws were broken, there will be punishment."
More than 4,000 Iraqis, many of them civilians, have been killed
in war-related violence this year, including at least 936 in May
alone, according to an Associated Press count. That makes May the
second deadliest month for Iraqis over the past year. Only March
recorded more fatalities.
(Chinadaily.com via agencies June 2, 2006)
