US forces turn to Saddam general to end Falluja standoff

Saleh’s force of 600-1,000 mostly former Iraqi soldiers would work ‘‘alongside’’ the Marines, Kimmitt said. ‘‘This is just an Iraqi component of the coalition forces surrounding Falluja.’’

But Saleh, cheered by crowds waving the Saddam-era Iraqi flag as he drove through his home town in his old uniform, said local people wanted Falluja to be run only by Iraqi forces.

Marine commanders, whose men maintained positions in parts of Falluja, said they would continue operations against guerrillas who refused to hand over heavy weaponry and against suspected foreign Islamic militants.

A suicide car bomber killed two Marines and wounded six close to their base near Falluja.

Kimmitt said US troops were still aiming to capture the killers of four American security guards whose much filmed mutilated bodies prompted the US crackdown a month ago.

It was unclear what influence the new Iraqi force in Falluja has over the estimated 2,000 or so guerrillas, some of whom US officials say are diehard Saddam supporters. Some guerrillas might even be part of Saleh’s new force. One Marine officer said that would not necessarily be a problem: ‘‘It’s not a bad thing because they’re not on the wrong side.’’

US Generals were unwilling to discuss Saleh’s background, referring queries to officers in Falluja who were unavailable. Iraqis who suffered oppression by Saddam’s armed forces had mixed feelings about the move in Falluja.

Around Najaf, US forces kept up roadblocks around the Mehdi Army militia loyal to rebel Shi’ite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, who has taken refuge among shrines sacred to the Shi’ite majority.