US welcomes Mahdi army freeze

by Al Jazeera (reposted)

Thu, Aug 30, 2007 7:41AM

Thursday, August 30, 2007 : Al-Sadr's Mahdi army ordered to suspend armed operations for six months.

The US military has welcomed an order given by Muqtada al-Sadr, the Iraqi Shia leader, to freeze his Mahdi army militia's activities following deadly clashes in southern Iraq. "Any time someone in Iraq, especially a leader, wants to use non-violent methods to solve problems ... we encourage this," said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Chris Garver.

"As always, the proof will be what we see on the street but we encourage any leader to work to end criminality ... end violence and seek non-violent methods to move Iraq forward," Garver said. Al-Sadr suspended armed action by his Mahdi army to remove rogue elements, his aide said.

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For more information: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0F0...

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§Sadr Suspends Mahdi Militia

by IOL (reposted)

Fri, Aug 31, 2007 7:09AM

NAJAF, Iraq — Iraq's Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr suspended on Wednesday, August 29, all activities of his powerful Mahdi Army militia following bloody clashes with police in the Shiite shrine city of Karbala.

"I direct the Mahdi Army to suspend all its activities for six months until it is restructured in a way that helps honor the principles for which it is formed," Sadr said in a statement cited by Agence France Presse (AFP).

The decision came after at least 52 people were killed and 300 more wounded in gun battles during a major Shiite festival in Karbala attended by thousands of pilgrims.

The deadly clashes pitted Iraq's two biggest Shiite groups, the Mahdi Army and the rival Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) and its Badr Brigades armed wing, against each other.

The violence spread overnight, with gunmen attacking SIIC offices in at least five cities and setting many of them ablaze.

Witnesses said the clashes involved policemen and Mahdi Army fighters.

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For more information: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satelli...

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