Clashes in Iraq city after Sadr office raided

Diwaniya (Iraq), Sep 15: Iraqi troops raided an office run by supporters of a radical Shi'ite cleric today, unleashing a chain of events that left two people dead, nine wounded and the city of Diwaniya under curfew.

US troops reinforced the Shi'ite city, 180 km south of Baghdad, two weeks ago after fighting between Sadr's Mehdi Army militia and the Iraqi army left dozens reported dead.

The clashes highlighted power struggles among factions in the dominant Shi'ite majority and the strength of party militias.

A US military official said the new US troops, stationed at a Polish-run base, aimed to bolster and help train local forces to ''ensure our confidence'' they could maintain security.

Hours after the overnight raid on the local headquarters of Sadr's movement, which is part of the coalition government, a convoy of foreign troops became embroiled in a clash with Sadr supporters that left a woman and child wounded and sparked an angry protest demonstration that ended in fatal violence.

Describing the raid, the US military said Iraqi troops with US advisers had been hunting leaders of sectarian ''death squads'' and militias responsible for the battle on August 28.

They failed to find the suspects but rescued a man who had been beaten and bound and who said he had been tortured for three days, the US military said in its statement.

An official in Sadr's organisation, Haider Hamza, said the man had been accused of rape and was being held in the office only overnight before being handed to police.

Sadr's movement has achieved broad popularity by providing a network of welfare services but critics also accuse some members of taking justice into their own hands with informal courts handing out harsh punishments under concepts of Islamic law.

Militia Move

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said in Washington the national unity government would introduce promised legislation next month on disbanding militias -- but noted that its success would depend on cooperation from Sadr and others.

A local journalist saw soldiers return to the area of the Sadr office, on a crowded, narrow commercial street, later in the morning. People near the office threw rocks at the Americans, and there was shooting and explosions, he said.

A US military official in Baghdad said a convoy of foreign troops had come under gun and grenade attack and returned fire.

The two civilians were hit in the crossfire, the official said.

The injured were a woman and her daughter aged about eight.

The city police chief told state television the pair were wounded by a grenade thrown by the soldiers. The US official said it was not clear if the troops were American, Polish or others and said US soldiers would not have used grenades.

After the US force withdrew, several dozen Sadr supporters marched to the office of the governor, where there was an exchange of fire lasting some 15 minutes. Hospital sources said one man was killed and 10 wounded. The US official later put the toll at two dead, including a policeman, and nine wounded.

At least 20 Iraqi soldiers were killed in the August 28 battle with the militia. Commanders said about 50 guerrillas were killed, though Mehdi Army leaders put their casualties at three.

A deal brokered in the nearby holy city of Najaf between Sadr and the local governor, who represents the rival Shi'ite party SCIRI, brought an end to hours of clashes on that day.

Reuters