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Iraqi police and Mehdi militia clash despite truce
Members of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's militia clashed with Iraqi police in the southern city of Kut on Friday, a day after a close Sadr aide ordered militiamen to abide by a ceasefire, police said.Mehdi Army militiamen clashed with Iraqi and U.S. soldiers earlier this week in Kut, 170 km (105 miles) southeast of Baghdad, sparking concerns a ceasefire may unravel and lead to an upsurge in violence. The fighting on Friday, in which one policeman was killed and two civilians injured, police said, started soon after the end of the funerals of men killed on Tuesday. "Kut has been lost and I'm not able to fight the gunmen with the few troops I have," said Lieutenant Aziz al-Amara, who commands a rapid reaction unit. Mortars and small arms were used in the clashes, which took place in the Izzeh, Sharqia, and Hawia districts of the city. Gun battles in Kut killed a total of 11 people on Tuesday, according to the city's police chief, prompting U.S. special forces to call in air strikes after requests from Iraqi authorities for help. Posted by: Fred 2008-03-15 |
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