US Marines pulled out of Baghdad on Sunday, heading south toward new positions while U.S. Army units took over their former sector.
Under the redeployment of U.S. troops in Iraq, all Marines who were in east Baghdad are pulling out to consolidate in the southern half of the country, while the Army's 3rd Infantry, 4th Armored and 101st Airborne Divisions will control the entire capital and the northern half of the country.
The shift will dramatically reduce number of American troops in Baghdad, AP reported.
Soldiers met Sunday with community leaders in the capital and discussed security concerns. A U.S.-run radio station — Information Radio — read a statement announcing an 11 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew.
"Anyone who violates this curfew will put himself in danger," one announcer said. Another advised people not to carry weapons "because you might be considered a threat to coalition forces."
A longtime exile who has proclaimed himself in charge of Baghdad said Sunday that Iraq's new constitution would be derived from Islamic law and promised to try anyone whose "hands are stained with the blood of the Iraqi people."
Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi also announced plans to revive Baghdad's civil administration.
Al-Zubaidi is a deputy of Ahmad Chalabi, a top figure in the Iraqi National Congress, an opposition group long backed by Washington.
Meanwhile, Turkey has responded "positively" to a U.S. request for peacekeeping troops and experts to help stabilize and rebuild Iraq, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Sunday.
Gul added Turkey has verbally agreed to help reconstruct Iraq. "Right now, we look at it positively," Gul told private CNN-Turk television. "A written response will be sent by the beginning of this week."
The composition of peacekeeping forces in Iraq is not yet clear. Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Bulgaria and the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have announced plans to send peacekeeping troops.
On Saturday, Azerbaijan offered to send 150 peacekeepers to Iraq to help protect Muslim holy sites.
Gul said Turkey was waiting for a more-detailed request from the United States, and implied there was some concern about how the operation would be financed. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
