BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 26 - Prime Minister Ayad Allawi blamed the American-led military forces on Tuesday for the weekend massacre of 49 freshly trained Iraqi soldiers, saying the military had shown "major negligence."
In a speech before the interim National Assembly, the prime minister said a committee had begun investigating the ambush, the deadliest of the guerrilla war. The assault took place Saturday night in remote eastern Iraq, as three minibuses of unarmed Iraqi soldiers were heading south on leave. Insurgents dressed as policemen waylaid the men at a fake checkpoint, killed all 49 soldiers and their three civilian drivers, mostly with shots to their heads, and burned the vehicles.
"I think there was major negligence by the multinational forces," Dr. Allawi said before the 100-member assembly. "It was a way to damage Iraq and the Iraqi people."
The massacre took place in an area of the country under the command of Polish forces.
Dr. Allawi did not elaborate on his statement, and his aides could not be reached by phone for further comment. The prime minister's lacerating words marked the first time he has publicly criticized the American-led forces, disclosing his profound frustration at the assault and perhaps the deteriorating security situation as well.
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http://nytimes.com/2004/10/27/international/middleeast/27iraq.html?hp&ex=1098849600&en=9502bb485a61267e&ei=5094&partner=homepage
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