Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s spokesman said today that the government was determined to hold January 30 elections on time despite calls by Sunni Muslim politicians to delay the balloting for six months because of deteriorating security.

The Iraqi government declared a 60-day state of emergency throughout most of the country yesterday, as US and Iraqi forces prepared for an expected all-out assault on rebels in Fallujah.

The Iraqi government today declared a state of emergency for 60 days throughout the country except for Kurdish-run areas of the north as US and Iraqi forces prepare for an expected all-out assault on rebels in Fallujah.