U.S. warplanes pounded targets in a large Shiite Muslim slum in the eastern part of the capital early Thursday morning, part of an operation aimed at dismantling the militia loyal to the rebel cleric Moqtada Sadr. The attacks killed at least one person and injured 12, according to hospital officials. Although Shiite insurgents in the holy city of Najaf have been largely quiet since a truce between Sadr's militia and U.S. and Iraqi forces there was reached a month ago, clashes have continued in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City. U.S. authorities say they are eager to resume reconstruction projects in the neighborhood but have been hampered by the continued violence.
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