BAGHDAD, 1 April 2008 — Iraq’s fortified Green Zone came under renewed attack yesterday, less than 24 hours after anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr called for his fighters to stand down following a week of clashes with government security forces.
The rocket or mortar attacks on the nerve center of the US mission and the Iraqi government continued more than a week of near-daily fire mostly from Shiite-dominated areas of eastern Baghdad. The number of rounds going into the zone has dropped in recent days, but the continuing attacks indicate that Sadr may not be able to rein in all Shiite militia factions.
The US Embassy said no serious injuries were reported and the US military said it had no reports of major damage. At least two Americans working for the US government died in attacks on the zone last week.
A key adviser to Iraq’s premier, meanwhile, said military operations personally overseen by Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki against Sadr’s followers in the oil-rich southern city of Basra will end within days. “Before the end of this week, the operations will come to an end and Al-Maliki will be back in Baghdad,” Sami Al-Askari said. Ali Al-Dabbagh, an Iraqi government spokesman, told reporters at a news conference in Baghdad that “operations will not end until Basra reaches a secure and acceptable situation enabling Iraqi citizens to live normal and secure lives.” He did not elaborate on how long that might take.
The clashes between Shiite militias and Iraqi troops backed by US forces began last Tuesday, when Al-Maliki started military operations against the group 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. Sadr’s cease-fire call followed intense negotiations by Shiite officials.
The situation in Basra, 550 km southeast of Baghdad, was relatively calm yesterday, although sporadic gunfire could still be heard in the streets and television footage showed Iraqi troops searching house-to-house apparently targeting militants.
Some supermarkets and stores were open but residents said few people were venturing out. A citywide curfew was lifted in Baghdad, although a vehicle ban remained on three strongholds of Sadr’s Mehdi Army militia in the capital.
