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U.S. and Iraqi Forces Clash With Sadr Militia in South
Iraqi troops patrol the streets of Diwaniyah hours after U.S. and Iraqi forces clashed with the Mahdi Army of anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The battles reportedly did not result in any American or Iraqi army casualties.
(By Alaa Al-marjani -- Associated Press)
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"I don't believe that such a high number of dead did in fact occur," said an officer from the Iraqi army's 8th Division. "But we can't speak out about our differences with the coalition forces."
The fighting, which was the heaviest in Diwaniyah since at least 50 militiamen and 23 Iraqi soldiers were reported killed in a clash in August, left the city paralyzed for most of the day.
"Even the children could not go to school, even in the more secure areas of the city," said Qasim Ali, 32, who woke up to the sound of booming mortars and the chop-chop-chop of helicopters overhead. "We were not able to get out to our work or even go shopping for our traditional Ramadan breaking of the fast."
Nadawi, the Sadr official, said members of the Sadr movement were shocked when American and Iraqi forces poured into the city.
"We had an agreement with the representatives of the prime minister since the fighting last month," he said. "The agreement states that the American forces do not enter our cities or residential areas in Diwaniyah and all over Iraq. This has been followed until now."
Nadawi and other Sadr officials expressed concern that the U.S. military would soon launch a strike on Sadr City or other Sadr strongholds.
Asked to comment on whether Sadr forces were potential targets, Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, said: "We are continuing operations against the illegal armed insurgent groups and the illegal armed militias who are trying to disrupt the legitimate operations of the government."
Meanwhile, as many as 700 police officers fell ill from poisoning at a base in the southern town of Numaniyah after a traditional meal Sunday night to break the Ramadan fast, the Associated Press reported. An Environment Ministry official said 11 officers died, though the provincial governor denied that there had been any fatalities, according to the AP.
Special correspondents Saad Sarhan in Najaf, Saad al-Izzi, K.I. Ibrahim and Naseer Nouri in Baghdad and other Washington Post staff in Iraq contributed to this report.
