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Iraqi leader declares state of emergency

Nov- 7-2004 » Filed Under: Iraq News

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared a 60-day state of emergency Sunday, as preparations were under way for an all-out offensive on the insurgent stronghold of Falluja.

"The council of ministers has approved this, the presidency has approved it," Allawi said of the state of emergency. "We declared it today, and we are going to implement it whenever is necessary and wherever is necessary."

The interim prime minister cautioned that Iraqi and U.S. forces "are not going to be easy" with suspected terrorists and insurgents.

"We are going to bring them to justice, and we are going to ensure the safety of the people of Iraq," he said.

Kurdistan province in northern Iraq was exempt from the state of emergency, Allawi spokesman Thaer Naqib said.

Allawi said time is up for the insurgents in Falluja.

"We can't wait indefinitely," he said. "We have made our case very clear. We are ready to intervene as far as we can to salvage the people who have been taken hostage by the bunch of terrorists and bandits and insurgents who have been part of the old regime ... and were involved in atrocities when Saddam was around."

Iraq and U.S. forces are trying to stabilize the nation in advance of national elections, set for January.


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