Deadly Fighting Shuts Down City in Iraq

Blindfolded detainees and their weapons are held at the Iraqi Army base in Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006. Fierce fighting between Iraqi security forces and Sunni-Arab insurgents raged for a second day in Diyala province, resulting with 17 insurgents killed, 15 detained 20 civilians kidnapped, three bodies found, one U.S. Marine killed and two wounded. (AP Photo) (AP)

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Fierce fighting Wednesday between coalition forces and insurgents shut down the Iraqi city of Baqouba, which has been roiled by violence in recent days, killing scores of militants and civilians.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrived in Jordan for meetings with President Bush aimed at halting the escalating violence, but the session was put off until Thursday after public disclosure of U.S. doubts about his capacity to control sectarian warfare.

To protest the planned meeting between Bush and al-Maliki, lawmakers and Cabinet ministers loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr suspended participation in parliament and the government to protest the meeting.

The political bloc is a mainstay of support for al-Maliki.

A statement issued by the 30 lawmakers and six Cabinet ministers said their boycott was necessary because the meeting constituted a "provocation to the feelings of the Iraqi people and a violation of their constitutional rights." The statement did not explain that claim.

"This visit hijacked the will of the people during days when the sons of Iraq write their destiny with blood and not ink," said the statement, which referred to Bush as "cursed," the "world's biggest evil" and a "criminal."

Suspected insurgents attacked the police headquarters in downtown Baqouba, sparking a clash with police that left five of the attackers dead, police said on condition of anonymity, as they regularly do to protect themselves.

Coalition forces backed by U.S. aircraft also killed eight al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents during a raid near the city that also left two Iraqi women dead, the U.S. military said.

The early morning attack was aimed at detaining Iraqis who were running a known cell of insurgents, the U.S. command said. The soldiers called in air support after coming under heavy fire from rifles and machine guns, the command said.

In Baqouba, capital of Diyala province about 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, the university, public schools and many stores remained closed, and the city's streets were mostly empty, except for a few people who dashed out to small fruit or vegetable stalls to stock up on food.

In a city with a crumbling infrastructure, few residents had electricity and most only received limited water supplies. Many Shiites and Sunnis have fled neighborhoods where they live in a minority, seeking refuge with relatives in nearby provinces or, if they have the money, in neighboring Jordan and Syria.

Widespread fighting has raged in the area for several days. On Tuesday, Diyala police said they found 11 bullet-riddled bodies around Baqouba. Over the weekend, fighting between Iraqi security forces and Sunni Arab insurgents left more than 50 militants dead and dozens wounded.