Iraq denies any arrests or hangings

Iraqi formal sources denied today news reports stating that there are arrests and hangings taking place in southern Iraq, asserting that the direct causes of the damage brought about by US and British planes in the "no-fly zones" over southern and northern Iraq are Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

In a press statement today, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahaf urged the Arabs to lift the sanctions from Iraq first, then called for covering an Arab summit. Al-Sahaf added that the US-British forces have dropped leaflets on Iraq from the air, saying that these leaflets were set up in Kuwait provoking citizens to rebel against their country.

Moreover, al-Sahaf renewed his accusation against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, saying that they were involved in the attacks against Iraq and demanding compensation from the two countries for "spiritual and material danger."