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People Fear Truce May Not Last
Basra residents contacted by telephone said many people were fearful that the truce might not last.Underscoring those fears, clashes broke out hours later after Iraqi troops raided Basra's Maakal area, another Mahdi Army stronghold, according to local police who could not immediately provide further details. A Mahdi Army spokesman in Basra, known as Abu Liqa al-Basri, said Wednesday that their gunmen were keeping a low profile on al-Sadr's orders. He accused Iraqi security forces of creating a "crisis of trust" by mounting "provocative raids" and arresting al-Sadr supporters. "If the Iraqi army continues in its provocative raids, the consequences will be bad," he said. Posted by: Fred 2008-04-04 |
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