Damascus, Cairo are 'concerned,' Hamas deplores 'the barbarian aggression'

Syria yesterday expressed its "concern" over the American attack against Najaf city. news reports quoted a Syrian official source as saying that " Syria feels concerned over the American bombardment of Najaf," describing what is taking place as "an American escalation inflecting damages among innocent civilian victims."

Meantime, the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit said that Cairo expressed its concern over the " development of recent events in Najaf city in Iraq " and it appeals " all sides for self- control and to use dialogue to solve all problems and give up violence."

For his part, the secretary general of the Arab league Amr Moussa called for halting the military operations in the city. In a statement, Moussa called on all sides taking part in the fighting to immediately stop the military operations and avail the opportunity for evacuating the wounded and killed and start immediately an operation of dialogue and understanding.

Meantime, Hamas movement issued a statement in which it considered that Najaf is being exposed to " a barbarian American attack" and called for the withdrawal of the occupation forces from all the Iraqi territories.