Iraqi Vice President Ibrahim al-Jafari implicitly criticised the United States Friday, saying the reported deaths of 300 insurgents in Najaf was "not a civilised way" to rebuild his nation.

"Of course, when I hear of the deaths of Iraqi civilians, I cannot find any justification for the killings," Jafari, on an official visit to London, told BBC television's "Newsnight" programme.

"So my reaction (to US claims of 300 insurgents killed in Najaf) is negative," he added.

"I think that killing Iraqi citizens is not a civilised way of building the new Iraq, which is based on protecting people and promoting dialogue, not bullets."

In the worst clashes since a June truce quelled a spring uprising spearheaded by radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, the US military said

300 insurgents had been killed.

"We estimate we've killed 300 anti-Iraqi forces in the past two days of fighting. We've had a total of three killed, 12 wounded (in the Najaf clashes)," US Marine Corps Captain Carrie Batson said.

A spokesman for Sadr, Sheikh Ahmed al-Shaibani, disputed the claim, saying only nine militiamen were killed and 20 wounded.

Najaf's governor Adnan al-Zorfi issued an ultimatum to Sadr's militia to leave the city in 24 hours, branding them criminals.

But Jafari appeared to criticise Zorfi for his initiative, saying: "I think decisions like this should have been taken centrally... in Baghdad" rather than locally.

The vice president also said that, being abroad, he was unable to say whether the United States had sought authorisation from the fledgling Iraqi government before launching its assault on Najaf.

"Maybe this is what happened, or maybe not," he said. "But I am not aware of the detailsofsuch an agreement."

Jafari is to hold meetings next week in London with Foreign Office ministers, "Newsnight" reported.

PTI adds: Britain yesterday condemned the kidnappings and murder of innocent civilians in Iraq and said it shared the sufferings of the families and countries whose citizens "brutally treated."

"We share the suffering of the families and sacrifices of those Governments whose citizens have been kidnapped and so brutally treated," a statement from the UK High Commission said in New Delhi.

Sharing a view of the multinational force in Iraq, it said, "Terrorists and former regime elements have intensified their campaign of kidnappings and executions aimed at weakening the resolve of the international community from assisting the Iraqi Government.