Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
« Back to the grid | Next story »

Iraq PM Threatens Sadrists as Basra Explodes

Posted Mar 26, 08 6:47 AM CDT in World 

(Newser) – As Iraqi government forces battle Shia militants for a second day in Basra, the Iraqi prime minister has issued a 72-hour deadline for insurgents to lay down their arms. In a television broadcast, Nouri al-Maliki warned militants, many of them loyal to the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, to stand down or "face the most severe penalties," reports the BBC. Maliki, and not the American military, is directing the Basra operation.

Fighting goes on in Baghdad, where government troops have moved into militia-controlled areas and rockets have rained down on the Green Zone. But Basra poses the most serious threat of falling into Sadr's control. More than 40 people there have been killed and at least 100 injured, although it remains unclear how many of these are fighters or civilians.

Sources BBC, New York Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Sewage Soaks Baghdad Slum

    Nov 25, 08 2:03 PM CST
    Sewage Soaks Baghdad Slum Residents of the Sadr City slum of Baghdad have come to accept raw sewage, bubbling to the surface from broken pipes, as a part of daily life, Bloomberg reports. And Sadr City is hardly an oddity—despite 6 years and billions of American dollars, much of Iraq still lacks reliable electricity and running water.
    More »

  • 10,000 Iraqis Protest Troop Deal

    Nov 21, 08 6:49 AM CST
    10,000 Iraqis Protest Troop Deal More than 10,000 Muqtada al-Sadr supporters gathered in Baghdad today to protest the US-Iraqi security pact that would keep troops in the country for another 3 years. The protesters hanged an effigy of President Bush from the same plinth Saddam Hussein’s statue was once toppled from by US forces, placing a black bag around Bush’s head in reference to Saddam’s execution. More »

  • Sadr to Forge Peaceful Corps from Shiite Army

    Aug 4, 08 7:51 PM CDT
    Sadr to Forge Peaceful Corps from Shiite Army Anti-American Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is shifting his political clout away from militancy, and will disarm his Shiite Mahdi Army in favor of non-violent civic and social endeavors, the Wall Street Journal reports. Hoping to increase stability in Iraq, the organization will take on projects involving education, religion, and social justice. More »

  • Militia Power Wanes as Iraqi Government Gains

    Jul 27, 08 5:38 AM CDT
    Militia Power Wanes as Iraqi Government Gains The sway of a key Iraqi militia has declined significantly and it's losing control of its Baghdad strongholds to the government, the New York Times reports. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army once controlled politics and police in areas throughout the city, but supporters became disenchanted by its violence and extortion as American and Iraqi forces hammered the group.
    More »

  • Confidence Surges in Baghdad

    Jul 3, 08 6:00 AM CDT
    Confidence Surges in Baghdad Economic activity and confidence in the government are booming in Baghdad, Der Spiegel reports, in a look at the "astonishing" resurgence of normal life there—despite fear that progress could vanish as quickly as it appeared. For the first time in 4 years, a popular Baghdad supermarket is stocking pork—along with alcohol, something that would have   invited reprisals by Islamic extremists.  More »

Iraqi police takes a defensive position in Basra, Iraq, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, March 25, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Relatives visit a graveyard dedicated to Mahdi Army fighters killed in action in the past five years, outside Najaf, March 21, 2008. On the right is the image of Mahdi army leader Muqtada al-Sadr   (AP Photo)
Iraqis sit in front of closed shops in Baghdad's al-Amil neighborhood Monday, March 24, 2008, as Sadrist movement leaders called a strike in protest of a widespread arrests of Mahdi army fighters.   (AP Photo)
An Iraqi police officer mans a checkpoint in Basra, Iraq, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, March 25, 2008.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

Iraq • Baghdad • Nouri al-Maliki • Moqtada al-Sadr • Mahdi Army • Basra • Shiite militia


Loading...

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »