Talks fail in Najaf; Dozens dead in US bombing of Samra

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY CITY OF NAJAF, Iraq: Truce talks aimed at ending more than a week of violence between Moqtada As-Sadr militias and US and Iraqi forces in the holy city of Najaf broke down Saturday while air strikes by American jets on the holy city of Samra and clashes in the town of Hilla left over 50 people dead and an equal number injured.

“I feel deep sorrow and regret to announce the failure of the efforts we have exerted to end the crisis in Iraq peacefully,” Iraqi National Security Adviser Mouwaffaq Ar-Rubaie, who had headed the negotiations on behalf of the government, said.

He said: “Our goal was to spare blood, preserve security and for the militias to put down their weapons… We have been talking and discussing these matters for three days but reached no positive conclusion… After three days, my government thought there was no use in continuing.”

United States forces have said they killed 50 insurgents when warplanes dropped 230 kilogram bombs on hideouts in a ground-and-air assault on the northern Iraqi city of Samra.

After the fighting, the city's main hospital reported 25 Iraqis dead and 86 wounded, many of them women and children. The hospital said that of the 25 people killed, eight were members of the same family.

Police said at least 43 buildings and homes were destroyed including a police headquarters and the municipality. They said their headquarters was badly damaged and they lost three of their comrades during the assault.

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