Fresh violence frays militia truce in Iraq (Mehdi Army attacking police patrols)

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, March 21 (Reuters) - Mehdi Army fighters attacked police patrols in southern Baghdad overnight, police said on Friday, further fraying a seven-month-old ceasefire called by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to rein in his militia.

The clashes in Baghdad's Shurta district follow outbreaks of violence in the southern Iraqi city of Kut in which Mehdi Army fighters have battled U.S. and Iraqi security forces. Three people were killed in fresh fighting in Kut late on Thursday.

The fighting took place on the same day that Iraq marked the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

Sadr, whose militia fought two uprisings against U.S. forces in 2004, first called a ceasefire last August and extended it last month. But two weeks ago he issued a statement telling his followers they could defend themselves if attacked.

Shortly afterwards, gunbattles broke out between Mehdi Army fighters and Iraqi and U.S. security forces in Kut, raising fears that the ceasefire was unravelling. Until Thursday, violence involving the Mehdi Army had been confined to Kut.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL140192.htm

[Massachusetts]

1. FUBAR!

We inherit the broken china.

[High Plains]

2. The standdown by the Mehdi militia has been a key factor...

...in the decline in violence in the last half-year.

That and the completion of the ethnic cleansing of Baghdad neighborhoods.

The surge? Not so much.

[Tempest]

3. Shhh

The war supporters don't want to hear the truth about the so-called surge success.