Baghdad, 10 April 2004 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. forces have offered a cease-fire to insurgents in the central, Sunni-majority city of Al-Fallujah.
But spokesman General Mark Kimmitt said American troops reserve the right to self-defense.
"This action is being taken with the expectation that enemy elements in Al-Fallujah will also honor the cease-fire. Irrespective of the cease-fire, coalition forces will always retain the inherent right of self-defense," Kimmitt said.
A delegation of Iraqi leaders entered Al-Fallujah today in hopes of negotiating an end to combat. The U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council overnight denounced U.S. military operations to root out insurgents in Al-Fallujah as "collective punishment" of the city and called for an immediate cease-fire across the country.
The U.S. operation in Al-Fallujah follows the killing and mob mutilation of four Western security contractors there last week. More than 400 Iraqis are reported to have been killed in fighting, along with a scores of U.S. soldiers.
Elsewhere, supporters of radical Shi'a leader Muqtada al-Sadr say they are suspending attacks against coalition forces in the shrine city of Karbala until after the end of a religious festival this weekend.
Fighting is reported today in a Sunni area of northwestern Baghdad between militants and U.S. troops. In fighting overnight in the northern town of Baquba some 40 Iraqis were reported killed.
"This action is being taken with the expectation that enemy elements in Al-Fallujah will also honor the cease-fire. Irrespective of the cease-fire, coalition forces will always retain the inherent right of self-defense," Kimmitt said.
A delegation of Iraqi leaders entered Al-Fallujah today in hopes of negotiating an end to combat. The U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council overnight denounced U.S. military operations to root out insurgents in Al-Fallujah as "collective punishment" of the city and called for an immediate cease-fire across the country.
The U.S. operation in Al-Fallujah follows the killing and mob mutilation of four Western security contractors there last week. More than 400 Iraqis are reported to have been killed in fighting, along with a scores of U.S. soldiers.
Elsewhere, supporters of radical Shi'a leader Muqtada al-Sadr say they are suspending attacks against coalition forces in the shrine city of Karbala until after the end of a religious festival this weekend.
Fighting is reported today in a Sunni area of northwestern Baghdad between militants and U.S. troops. In fighting overnight in the northern town of Baquba some 40 Iraqis were reported killed.