Iraqi security forces Tuesday clashed with fighters from the Mahdi Army of Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr in the southern city of Basra, amid demands by the group that detained members be freed. Mortar and gun fire was heard on Tuesday after security forces entered the neighbourhood of al-Tamiya, a Mahdi Army stronghold, the AFP news agency reported.
Clashes later spread to five other neighbourhoods, including al-Jumhuriya, Five Miles and al-Hayania, the Mahdi Army's main stronghold in Basra. "We began operations at 5am [0200 GMT]," Major Karim al-Zubaidi, a police spokesman, said. "There is fighting between security forces and the Mahdi Army."
At least 12 people were killed in the clashes, police and health workers said. According to Reuters, a police major at al-Mawana Hospital said it had received four bodies and 18 wounded. The fighting started soon after a night-time curfew was imposed on Basra province, and hours after Nuri al-Maliki, the prime minister, arrived in the city for a visit.
On his part, al-Sadr Tuesday threatened a nationwide campaign of civil revolt following the news from Basra. According to AFP, he also warned he would launch a nationwide strike if attacks against members of his movement are not halted. Sadr "calls on the Iraqis to launch protests if the government does not respect these demands," a statement from his office said.
Meanwhile, General Mohan al-Furayji, the Iraqi commander in charge of security in the south of Iraq, announced late on Monday the launch of a security operation throughout Basra province. Vehicle access would be temporarily closed from neighbouring provinces during the evening hours from Wednesday and until Friday, he said. Teaching at schools and universities has been suspended from Tuesday until Thursday.
According to Al-Furayji, the security operation was meant to "impose the law and chase the criminals."
But Harith al-Athari, a spokesman for al-Sadr's bloc in Basra, blamed the government of trying to purge the Mahdi Army of members who refused to heed orders by al-Sadr for a ceasefire. "The situation is bad and we regret the fighting. We are ready for negotiations and want to calm things," al-Athari said.
