US Marines arrest Iraq's deputy Speaker
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk Report

BAGHDAD (Iraq): US troops arrested the deputy head of Iraq's interim parliament Nassir Ayef in a dawn operation at his Baghdad home on Tuesday, a spokesman from his party said.

"We are in contact with the government and the national council (parliament) to obtain his release as Ayef enjoys immunity because of his position," Iyad al-Samarrai, a spokesman for his Iraqi Islamic Party, told foreign news.

Samarrai also appealed to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and national council president Fouad Maasum to intervene.

US jets bomb Fallujah

US aircrafts after finishing the operation have yet again bombarded suspected terrorist hideouts in Fallujah however nothing is known about the losses that have occurred after the bombings.

Elsewhere Iraq’s interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has said that the Baghdad airport would be opened today. The US army has said that in the 7-day long operation against terrorists in Fallujah at lest 38 US soldiers have been killed while 278 have been injured.

While talking about the resumption of the peace plan in Iraq Ayad Allawi told newsmen in Baghdad that he had several objectives some of which have been implemented which includes stoppage of refugee to terrorists in the city and this objective he said has been achieved. Allawi said that the Baghdad airport would be re-opened today.

Operations in Mosul

The US military said on Tuesday US and Iraqi troops have started operations to secure parts of northern Mosul from insurgents.

US troops and Iraqi security forces began moving in to secure police stations in the western part of the city, said US official.

'We are in the process of securing all of police stations and returning the police to these stations to implace a strong police on the western side of the city where there has been insurgent activity and presence. We are now moving through the neighborhood.', they added.

Probe in Marine Shooting

Meanwhile, the US military said on Tuesday an investigation is underway into allegations that a Marine shot a wounded and apparently unarmed Iraqi prisoner in a mosque in the former insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.

The First Marine Division is investigating an allegation of the unlawful use of force in the death of an enemy combatant in Fallujah during combat operations on Saturday, according to a military statement.

Romania to Recall Troops by June

A news item with Bucharest date-line says that Romania has said that if the situation in Iraq is stabilized then it would call off its troops back from Iraq in June next year.

There are 800 Romanian soldiers in Iraq who are part of the US established coalition. Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Natase has expressed the hope that in the elections to be held in January would help in reducing the current tension in Iraq and would stabilize the situation there.

He said that if this does not happen then Romania would call its troops back from Iraq till June 2005. The Romanian soldiers are posted in the south of Baghdad.●