US Soldiers to stay in command of Najaf after Mosque bombing

The Polish military command tomorrow will not now be taking control of the region of Najaf as was earlier planned, even though it is currently in their area of responsibility. This is partly due to the bombing four days ago in a Najaf mosque which killed top Shi'ite Muslim cleric Mohammed Baqer al-Hakim and more than 80 others. "The Polish command was due to take control over the whole south-central sector tomorrow" said Colonel Adam Stasiński from the Defense Ministry, who also announced that American soldiers will remain in the region of Najaf for a few days longer. According to Stasiński this delay is more of a slow down in preparatory works connected to the handing over of power in the province. He added that the delay was not the fault of the Polish command, which is due to take control of a multinational division of over 9,000 soldiers. The largest contingents were sent by Poland, Ukraine and Spain. (www.polskieradio.pl, Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1) A.K