Iraqi Ambassador: USA Could Launch Strikes Against Civilian Population

Iraqi Ambassador to Moscow Abbas Kunfud Khalaf is not ruling out that the USA will launch strikes against the civilian population of Iraq. During a Moscow press conference on Wednesday, he said US claims that the Iraqi leadership had military facilities near civilian ones such as schools and hospitals amounted to propaganda aimed at the international community. The ambassador believes that the United States is preparing public opinion for any possible strikes against the civilian population.

When answering a question as to what measures the Iraqi leadership had taken to protect holy places, Khalaf announced that no special measures in this area were being taken. At the same time, he stressed that the population of Iraq was intending to defend these holy places. The United States is attempting to speculate on this front, "spread rumours that allegedly Saddam Hussein could hide in such places," the Iraqi diplomat said.