Tread carefully, envoy warns US troops

The United Nations envoy who is helping draft an Iraqi interim government urged President George W Bush’s administration today to “tread carefully” in besieged Fallujah and avoid alienating an already angry populace.

As for Najaf, one of the holiest cities of Islam’s Shiite sect that also is under near siege by US forces, Lakhdar Brahimi warned of a disaster if American soldiers enter the city to hunt down a radical cleric.