Fighting resumes despite Muqtada al-Sadr's calls for calm
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Associated Press - April 12, 2008 9:23 AM ET
BAGHDAD (AP) - The fighting has resumed between Shiite militants and U.S. and Iraqi forces around Baghdad's Shiite district of Sadr City despite a call for calm by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr (mook-TAH'-duh al SAH'-dur).
The U.S. military says at least 13 Shiite militants died in the clashes, which erupted last night before tapering off today, a day after the assassination of 1 of al-Sadr's top aides. Iraqi police say seven civilians were killed as a result of the fighting.
Al-Sadr has blamed the Americans and their Iraqi allies for the assassination, which happened in the Shiite holy city of Najaf (NAH'-jahf). Gunmen ambushed the aide as he was returning home from Friday prayers.
A curfew was declared in Najaf to prevent a violent backlash by al-Sadr supporters, but it has been lifted.
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My comment:
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I don't think the Government forces did the killing and ....on some Blogs there is speculation that it was meant as a message to Sadr.,...that he needs to keep fighting....
I hope this is not an off and on again battle like Fallujah.