Iraqi forces battle Mahdi militia in southern Iraq, Baghdad

[IsItJustMe]

Source: By Leila Fadel and Ali al Basri, McClatchy Newspapers

BAGHDAD — With Iraq's top leaders directing the battle, Iraq's army and national police pressed a major operation Tuesday to wrest control of the southern port city of Basra from the Shiite Mahdi Army militia. Fighting between government forces and the militia quickly spread through Iraq's south and into Baghdad .

Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki and his defense and interior ministers took charge of the 15,000 Iraqi army troops and police units, which were deployed for what aides said was to be a three-day operation against militias in the city.

The battle at the oil-rich port began before dawn Tuesday and lasted into the early evening before subsiding slightly as the Mahdi Army, headed by firebrand cleric Muqtada al Sadr , defended positions in several neighborhoods. In the dead of night, residents reported artillery shelling, mortar rounds and guns being fired outside their homes.

In the al Timimiyah neighborhood, government forces surrounded a Mahdi Army stronghold and the home of the Rwaymi family, who residents said are well-known oil smugglers and supporters of the militia.

In al Qibla, just west of the city center, the Mahdi Army repelled attacks by Iraqi security forces, burned military vehicles and took weapons, residents said. The militia also briefly took control of a police station.

<snip>

Sadr ordered calm and asked his followers to distribute Qurans and olive branches to Iraqi police checkpoints. Local police in Sadr-controlled neighborhoods largely sympathize or work with the militia.

In some 13 Baghdad neighborhoods, police abandoned their checkpoints after militiamen spread through the streets, burned tires, attacked two Iraqi checkpoints and kidnapped at least six police officers....





Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080325/wl_mcclatchy...

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I think two hundred years should do it.

[Amonester]

1. But... but... but...

Mc$ame and Lieberman said the $urge is working!!

[Supersedeas]

4. the GoP Cable Media Establishment has a script--keep repeating and divert with infotainment

[saigon68]

9. "BRING EM ON" shouted the AWOL CHIMPANZEE & SON

[laststeamtrain]

2. Bloomberg: U.S. Hails `Bold' Iraqi Offensive Against Militia in Basra City

U.S. Hails `Bold' Iraqi Offensive Against Militia in Basra City

By Ed Johnson and Robin Stringer

March 26 (Bloomberg) -- The Bush administration hailed an Iraqi offensive against Shiite militiamen in the southern city of Basra as a ``bold decision'' that shows the country's security forces are capable of combating terrorists.

At least 18 people were killed in clashes yesterday between fighters loyal to Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Iraqi troops, as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki pledged to restore security in the southern oil hub.

``This is what we have been wanting to see the Iraqis do,'' White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters in Washington yesterday. ``This is one of the first times that they've had such an entrenched battle and we'll be there to support them if they need it.''

The fighting is a test for Iraqi forces, who took over responsibility for security in Basra from the U.K. military in December. Iraq's ability to tackle extremists will influence the pace at which the U.S. withdraws its forces from the country, as the conflict enters its sixth year.

Al-Sadr had repeatedly called on fighters from the militia, the Mahdi Army, to obey a cease-fire declared in August. Some elements of the group continue to target other militias and U.S.-led coalition forces.

<more>

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=abl...

[ohio2007]

6. Time to pull the crutches out from under Maliki's new Iraqi army

Let them take the fight into the mosques and streets of the city state militias.

Stand or fall, all sides know we will bug out like the Brits in Basra did.....

[laststeamtrain]

3. Mahdi Army arrested 17 American soldiers

Mahdi Army arrested 17 American soldiers

By Roads To Iraq

25/03/08 "RTI" -- - Reported, Abu Al-Khasib another city close to Basra, now under Mahdi Army control, Iraqi government calls special forces from Karbala led by Maliki’s “brothers in law” to move to Basra.

Just reported from Alwasatonline reporter in Basra, Mahdi Army managed to arrest 17 American soldiers, and seizes 7 hammer military vehicles, because of these developments the Iraqi government offered to negotiates with MA but Muqtada Al-Sadr refused any negotiations, also 250 Iraqi soldiers gave themselves up to Mahdi Army.

&

Update On The Fighting In Basra

By Roads To Iraq

25/03/08 "RTI" -- - The situation right now is nothing to do with “Iraqi government” or “Iraqi Army”, it is a Shiite-Shiite war, Mahdi Army with primitive arms and “Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution” with an army and supported by the Americans.

Remember the so called Iraqi government can not start this campaign without taking accord from Iran and the U.S., I told about the there is some kind of agreement between few posts before.

Just few hours ago the Sadrists issued a new statement, signed by Al-Sadr himself and it says an initiative for peace contains six points:

<more>

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19600.h...

[ohio2007]

5. "NEWS YOU WON'T FIND ON CNN" eh? (Roads to Iraq . com)

http://www.roadstoiraq.com/#


24hr rule in place for such webnews sites

[underpants]

7. Kyra Phillips (CNN) reports "This could affect the surge"

IS the SURGE now it own lifeform? I thought the SURGE was supposed to stop this very kind of thing from happening.

Oh and Maliki making demands on alSadr --now THAT'S high comedy

[PassingFair]

8. The "surge" was the Al Sadr cease fire...

17 Americans "arrested"?!!?!

This does NOT look good, what are we doing?

This guy is a GENERATIONAL HERO to the Shia.
Something is UP if we are taking him on.

[ohio2007]

10. Maliki has given the militias three days to disarm or

Iraqi special forces may move in and take a few hostages of their own ?

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1310483,00...

This is all about the local Iraqi elections and Sadr fears his party will lose a few seats... unless the elections are "someway" stopped.....

[PassingFair]

11. Does Maliki ever do anything on his own?

Didn't US forces move into Sadr City PRIOR to this Maliki "surge"?

[ohio2007]

12. US forces have been moving around in Iraq for five years now. Sadr city has seen US boots long ago

Maliki has to deal with militias or
watch the country divide up the into fiefdoms. The time is running out for the large political parties putting up with a squeaky whiner minority one and its militia that is actually using the civilian population as human shields for mookies personal gain.


snip
The US military said "terrorists" launched 12 mortar and rocket attacks from Sadr City on Tuesday, some of them hitting Baghdad's Green Zone, the seat of the Iraqi government and the US embassy
snip
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&...

[Supersedeas]

13. Iraqi forces showing initiative to do what needed to be done -- can we go home now?