TIKRIT, Iraq, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi police in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, went on strike Wednesday demanding the release of a police chief captured by the US troops and guarantees from the foreign forces to respect the local police, a police officer said.

    Police stations and streets of Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, were devoid of police who went on strike in a protest against the capture of Brigadier Hatem al-Juboury, chief of the homicide department in Salahudin provincial headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Muhamed Ali told Xinhua.

    Al-Juboury was arrested Tuesday along with another officer by the US troops who surrounded the police headquarters of Salahudin in Tikrit and confiscated all weapons there.

    "How can we work while the American soldiers arresting our officers without accusations and confiscate our weapons," Ali said.

    "We won't resume our jobs unless the US troops release BrigadierHatem and offer guarantees to respect the Iraqi police," Ali added.

    Another police officer, Major General Mizher Taha al-Ghannam, described the US arrest as "premeditated disarmament of the Iraqi police", accusing the US troops of destabilizing the province.

    The US military sometimes accuse the Iraqi security forces of collaborating with insurgents to launch attacks on the US-led troops in Iraq. Enditem ¡¡