A senior UN official has warned that Iraqi elections could not be held in the current climate of violence.

Lakhdar Brahimi, a special adviser to UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and until recently UN envoy in Iraq, said the January 30 vote could only take place "if first and foremost security improves".

There has been a spike of unrest in the past three days in despite the end of US-led assaults on rebel cities south and west of Baghdad. At least 21 people, including 17 Iraqis working for the US military, were killed on Sunday.

Iraqi parties campaigning for a delay also warned that the results could be contested if the elections go ahead unless the violence eases.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Red Crescent said that it had evacuated the city of Fallujah on US military orders after it was told that the former insurgent stronghold was not safe.

The United States has been forced to increase by early January the number of troops to about 150,000 from 138,000, the highest number since it declared an end to major combat.

Source: CRI news