A U.S. warplane destroyed a Baghdad office of a Shiite leader and his followers said two people were killed and six wounded. In Fallujah, U.S. Marines started joint patrols with Iraqi forces Monday under an agreement that ended the siege of that city.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Hammond confirmed that U.S. aircraft had bombed the office of Muqtada al-Sadr. Sheikh Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, a spokesman for al-Sadr, said the air strike occurred around midnight Sunday. At the same time, U.S. troops also opened fire from nearby streets, destroying a car and a house, he said, according to The AP.
Al-Darraji said two people were killed and six injured.
Hammond, deputy commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, said 35 Shiite fightets were killed in gunbattles throughout the area that lasted from midday Saturday until 4 a.m Sunday.
The fighting began after Sadr's forces set up checkpoints throughout the area.
On his part, al-Sadr reportedly ordered his Mehdi Army to launch a broad new offensive against U.S.-led occupying forces. "We have now entered a second phase of resistance," said Sadr's chief aide, according to Reuters.(Albawaba.com)
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