Militants continue to pound Baghdad's Green Zone
Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone came under renewed attack today, less than 24 hours after anti-Western Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr told his forces to stand down following a week of clashes with government security forces.
Al-Sadr’s order stopped short of disarming his fighters and left the militia intact in a blow to the credibility of prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, who flew to the southern city of Basra a week ago to personally oversee a crackdown on militia violence.
He had promised “a decisive and final battle” but government troops made little headway.
A key adviser to Mr Maliki said the operations against al-Sadr’s followers would end within days.
Meanwhile the rocket and mortar attacks on the Green Zone, nerve centre of the US military and the Iraqi government, continued.
The number of rounds going into the zone has dropped but the continuing attacks indicate that al-Sadr may not be able to rein in all Shiite militia factions.
The US Embassy said no serious injuries were reported. At least two civilians died in attacks on the zone last week.
The clashes between Shiite militias and Iraqi troops backed by US forces began last Tuesday, when Mr Maliki launched military operations and vowed to remain in Basra until the mission was accomplished. The battles there and violence that spread to other southern cities and Baghdad killed at least 400 people.
Al-Sadr’s cease-fire call followed intense negotiations by Shiite officials.
Basra was relatively calm today, although sporadic gunfire could still be heard in the streets. Some supermarkets and stores were open but residents said few people were venturing out.
A city-wide curfew was lifted in Baghdad, although a vehicle ban remained on three strongholds of al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia.
Sadr City, the Shiite neighbourhood where many of the mortars and rockets landing in the Green Zone are believed to be launched, was calm, residents said. Cars and buses were moving within the sprawling area, though they were not allowed to leave.
In other parts of Baghdad, shops and schools were open and people were heading to work.
