US troops withdraw from Najaf

2004-06-04 21:44

Baghdad - US forces have agreed to pull back from some positions in the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and neighbouring Kufa and hand security around holy sites to the Iraqi police as part of a truce framework with rebel cleric Moqtada Sadr's militia, said US Army Captain Douglas Duecker.

"The government of Najaf has made an announcement that the Iraqi police will deploy in and around the sensitive areas around the holy shrines. The coalition forces will pull back and take care of the areas outside the holy sites within Najaf and Kufa," Duecker said on Friday.

"Sadr said he would pull his forces out of the city if the police provided security in the holy areas. That is what he is expected to do because that is what he stated he would do."

- AFP