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# Posted 5:32 AM by Patrick Belton

CEASEFIRE IN FALLUJAH: We received this press release from the CPA by email indicating a U.S. ceasefire in Fallujah; the WaPo reports it is for the aim of allowing a delegation of sheikhs from the city to travel to the Marine base outside of Fallujah for negotiations. Other sources report that the ceasefire is also to allow humanitarian access to the city:

Today at 1200, Coalition Forces initiated a unilateral suspension of offensive operations in Fallujah in order to hold a meeting between members of the Interim Governing Council, Fallujah leadership and leaders of the anti-Coalition forces, to allow delivery of additional supplies provided by the Iraqi Government, and to allow residents of Fallujah to tend to wounded and dead. During this suspension period, Coalition Forces retain the inherent right of self defense, and will remain fully prepared to resume offensive operations unless significant progress in these discussions occurs.

In other Iraq news, while Japan has stood strong against the insurgents' despicable seizure of three citizens, with the threat to burn them if Japan does not withdraw its forces in the Iraqi theatre - Thai PM Shinawatra has ordered his nation's troops to stay in their camp in Kerbala until fighting ceases.

UPDATE: Ceasefire over after 90 minutes. WaPo: "Lt. Col. Brennan Byrne, the commander of the U.S. Marine unit in southeast Fallujah, told reporters on the scene in Fallujah that offensive operations were being suspended to allow women and children and men too old to fight leave the battered city en masse in response to pleas from religious leaders in Fallujah." CNN, though, has reports that it's still on.

UPDATE 2: Amusingly, a friend in the CPA was reading this and writes:

I jumped on your blog briefly and wanted to let you know that the suspension of offensive actions against Fallujah are still on, as of BG Mark Kimmitt’s briefing about an hour and a half ago. We unilaterally suspended any actions at noon today for all the reasons the press releases lists and actions remain suspended at this time. The Marines do retain, however, the right to self-defense if fired on. My guess is that this is where the misleading reports are coming from – a media outlet hears a couple of shots and assumes we are resuming actions.

Thanks!

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