By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki offered Friday nationwide immunity and freeze of raids on militiamen who lay down their arms, Iraqi official television reported.
“In order to give a chance to those who repented, raids in all areas will stop and immunity will be granted to whoever wanted to lay down their arms,” the television quoted a statement by Malikias saying.
Maliki’s statement did not mention the Mahdi Army militia, loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, or put a timeframe for his new measures.
Last week, Sadr militia fought fierce battles in Iraq’s southern city of Basra with U.S.-backed Iraqi security forces, as the latter launched a massive offensive, dubbed “Operation Cavalry Assault” aimed at restoring order in the city where instability was spreading.