US gives air support to Iraqi force
At least four Shia fighters are killed as US carries out air attack on Hilla.
Armed fighters loyal to al-Sadr have been battling Iraqi troops in the southern city of Basra and in Baghdad for the past two days. The clashes have killed at least 50 people.
The latest fighting broke out in Sadr City, a large poor area in the capital, early on Wednesday. At least 16 mortars were reportedly fired into the Green Zone, home to the US embassy, on Wednesday night causing casualties.
The violence comes after Iraq‘s security forces launched raids on strongholds of Mahdi Army fighters on Tuesday.
As the fighting broke out, al-Sadr issued a statement calling for demonstrations across the country and threatened “civil disobedience” if attacks by US and Iraqi forces on members of his movement continued.
Looming deadline
“We call on all Iraqis to launch protests across all the provinces. If the government does not respect these demands, the second step will be general civil disobedience in Baghdad and the Iraqi provinces.”
Al-Sadr has called for ‘civil disobedience’ [File: GALLO/GETTY] |
Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister, imposed a deadline for those fighting security forces in Basra to surrender.
Al Jazeera’s James Bays, reporting from Baghdad, said that a spokesman for al-Maliki said that some fighters had surrendered.
He said: “But we are getting reports that heavy fighting is continuing in parts of Basra.”
“I think the prime minister is trying to put his stamp in this operation. No one expected that he would go to Basra.”
“Al-Maliki wants to show that he is in control, because in the past, he was seen as a weak, impotent leader.”
‘Iranian influence’
The US claims that members of the so-called “special groups” are trained in Iran in the use of sophisticated weaponry, including rockets and lethal roadside bombs known as “explosively formed penetrators” that can cut through US armoured vehicles.
Amid the accusations, the military says that Iran could contribute to ending the violence in Iraq, calling on Tehran to use its influence to assist in improving security in Basra.
“We would love to see the government of Iran fulfil its commitments to help improve security and stability [in Basra] … and reduce the activities of those operating outside the law.”
Bergner also said the operation was aimed at improving security in the Basra province ahead of provincial elections in October.
“The prime minister’s assessement is that without this operation there will not be any hopeful prospect of improving security in Basra,” Bergner said.
‘Politically motivated’