'Tentative' deal to end Iraq siege U.S. may turn Fallujah security over to Saddam-era general

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- U.S. Marines negotiated a "tentative" agreementThursday to pull back forces from Fallujah, a deal that would lift anearly monthlong siege and allow an Iraqi force led by a formerSaddam Hussein-era general to handle security. Fresh clashes brokeout despite news of a pending deal, and U.S. warplanes dropped bombson insurgent targets.

Ten U.S. soldiers and a South African civilian were killed inattacks elsewhere, including eight Americans who died when a bomb hitas they tried to clear explosives from a road south of Baghdad.

Negotiations were also taking place in the southern city of Najaf,where tribal leaders and police discussed a proposal to end the U.S.standoff and for followers of a radical Shiite cleric to leave thecity.

U.S. military commanders met with former Iraqi generals Thursdayto hammer out the details of the Fallujah agreement, Marine Capt.James Edge said. A Marine commander said a deal was reached but latersaid "fine points" needed to be fixed.

In an apparent gesture to help the Fallujah negotiations, U.S.authorities Thursday released the imam of the city's main mosque,Sheik Jamal Shaker Nazzal, an outspoken opponent of the U.S.occupation who was arrested in October.

The tentative deal for the Iraqi force outlined a surprising newway to find an "Iraqi solution to an Iraqi problem," said Marine Lt.Col. Brennan Byrne. It envisions a force of some 1,100 members calledthe Fallujah Protective Army.

The force would be led by Gen. Salah, a leading general fromSaddam's army, and include Iraqis with "military experience" from theFallujah region, Byrne said.

Ahmed Shaybani, a spokesman for rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said talks were under way to end the standoff. He said aproposal emerged under which al-Sadr followers would hand oversecurity to the Najaf police and the Mahdi army would leave. Al-Sadr, who is wanted in the killing of another cleric, would remain inthe city.

AP