Iraq's largest Ambar province in the west said Saturday it is willing to surrender unconditionally to avert attack by the US-led coalition forces, the Xinhua correspondent reported.
Iraqi officials said in appeal obtained by Xinhua they are ready to hand over cities including the provincial capital of Ramadi, as well as townships and villages, to spare the region of bloodshed. The appeal came on Day 23 of the war after the Iraqi capital Baghdad and other major cities fell to the hands of coalition. Killing of civilians in Baghdad continued with US soldiers shooting at any cars they suspected of being "hostile," witnesses told Xinhua.
People have no sense of security while killing and looting are all going rampant despite the US pledge to "liberate them," the witnesses said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2003)
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