The Iraqi army has found no hostages in the besieged town of al-Madain, where fighters have reportedly been holding Shia residents hostage.

A 1500-strong Iraqi force moved into al-Madain - known also as Salman Pak - 30km southeast of Baghdad, according to an AFP correspondent embedded with the US military. 

"The whole city is under control. We've secured houses where people said there were hostages. We could not find any. I don't think we'll find any," said Iraqi Brigadier-General Muhammad Sabri Latif on Monday. 

The military action followed reports that Sunni fighters had abducted dozens of people and had threatened to kill them unless all Shia left the town, although details on the situation had been sketchy and contradictory. 

"I think they (fighters) ran away to the other side of the river. Possibly they took hostages with them. There are no signs of any killings," said Latif. 

Hiding inside

As the Iraqi forces moved in, the streets were deserted, shops shuttered and most of the town's 7000 residents were hiding inside their homes fearing a military offensive. 

"They (the fighters) have either left or are just laying low," said US Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Johnson. "The Iraqis have secured most of the town, from here on there will be a police presence in Salman Pak." 

Johnson said Iraqi forces were pushing south of the town along the Tigris to sweep through villages in the region. 

The latest incident threatened to raise sectarian tensions between the country's majority Shia, who won control of parliament in January, and the Sunnis, who have lost the privilege and power they enjoyed under the ousted government of Saddam Hussein. 

Al-Madain itself is built on the ruins of the ancient city of Cestiphon. 

Another Falluja

Abd al-Salam al-Kubaisi, a member of the influential and mostly Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq (AMS) told Aljazeera that he had contacted some people in al-Madain and they confirmed there was a fierce attack on the town despite the apparent absence of fighters. 

"We can call this another Falluja," al-Kubaisi said. He went on to say that the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced on 14 April that there would be an attack against al-Madain town.

"We have urged them to keep the situation calm, but they have insisted to storm this safe city with its Sunni and Shia residents. Therefore, this operation comes to create a sectarian strife in the town," he added. 

Al-Huriya area in al-Wihda neighbourhood was raided 22 days ago although there were no fighters there, al-Kubaisi said. Five days later, all families were thrown out, he added.

"Therefore, the issue is a matter of pursuing resistance fighters in Baghdad," he said. "This is a US plan. Unfortunately, Iraqi National Guardsmen have been dragged into such operations."

Al-Madain witness

One resident, Ahmad al-Ubaidi, told Aljazeera: "Iraqi police forces and National Guards, backed by US troops, entered the centre of al-Madain on Monday at 7am. There was no resistance at all.

"Iraqi forces have searched citizens' houses in the town but found no hostages. Iraqi police have also confiscated some light arms from the citizens. They have even taken my light weapon," he added.

Al-Ubaidi said there are no armed fighters in the town.

"The area was safe and there was no resistance.”

"Iraqi police forces asked me about hostages and I told them I was sure there are no hostages in the town. This information is incorrect," he added.

PHOTO CAPTION

An Iraqi police officer, assigned to protecting oil production and distribution, watches from across the Tigris River as fire and smoke billow from a pipeline fire following an explosion near Beiji, Iraq Monday, April 18, 2005. (AP)