Iraqi Resistance Groups Form Unified Command

In a statement, a copy of which was sent to IslamOnline.net, the National Front for the Liberation of Iraq revealed that "after intensive contacts with a number of armed Iraqi groups and Arab volunteers who flocked to the country ahead of the U.S.-led invasion, a unified resistance command has now been forged."

It indicated that the contacts made also included elements from Saddam Fedayeen and Baathists who are not loyal to ousted president Saddam Hussein.

It asserted that the resistance factions that joined the new alliance – not less than 10 – are deployed across the occupied country, but are specially active in Kirkuk and Arbil in the north; Baghdad, Tikrit and Fallujah in the center; and Basra and Babel in the south.

No Multinational Forces

It its statement, the Front threatened the U.S.-British occupation troops of expanding the scale of resistance attacks, asserting that Iraq "will witness the end of the U.S.-British arrogance of power."

"The Front warns all world countries, including Arab and Islamic states, against sending a single soldier to Iraq under any circumstances," stressing such troops would be "treated just like any of the occupation forces".

The U.S. has unveiled a new U.N. draft resolution, setting no firm timetable for the transfer of power to Iraqis, in a fresh bid to persuade reluctant allies to contribute troops and money to help share the burden in the war-ravaged country.

The Front did not rule out dialogue with the U.S. troops, provided that such dialogue would "guarantee the right of our people to have the occupying forces withdrawn from the country."

Collaborators Punished

Meanwhile, the Front threatened "collaborators with the occupation", pledging to "severely but fairly punish every traitor who has sold himself to the occupier."

Abdul Amir El-Rakabi, an Iraqi opposition figure based in Paris, told IslamOnline.net on April 10, a day after the fall of Baghdad, about the formation of the National Front for the Liberation of Iraq.

The Front had claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against the U.S. occupation troops and "collaborators".

It adopted an attack by a Syrian volunteer Sunday April 13 on a number of U.S. Marines, killing himself and a Marine soldier.

The Front also claimed an assassination attempt against Ahmed Chalabi, current rotating chairman of the U.S.-handpicked Iraqi governing council, on April 12 in Al-Nasiriya that left several of his bodyguards killed.