Shiite fighters fired mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades at a police station housing American soldiers early Friday in a Baghdad neighborhood that is a stronghold of Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr.
Helicopters and jet fighters flew over the station during the exchanges that the Shiite fighters said came after U.S. troops tried to raid homes and arrest resistance fighters. A mortar round killed two fighters and a civilian, said one al-Sadr official, according to The AP.
Meanwhile, a U.N. advisory team has selected an eight-member independent electoral commission and adopted voting rules in the first major step toward national elections due by Jan. 31, a U.N. official said Friday.
The United Nations said a commission would have to be set up and rules issued this month if elections are to be held by the end of January 2005 as provided for under the U.S. blueprint for handing over power to the Iraqis.
Carina Perelli, U.N. elections chief, described the commission as "well-balanced," despite organizational problems posed by the deteriorating security situation.
The eight are Abdul-Hussein al Hindawi, Fareed Michael, Hamdi Abbas al-Husseini, Ibrahim Ali Ali, Izzadine Mohammed Shafiq, Mustafa Safwat Rashid, Mohammed al-Jabouri, and the chairman, Mohammed Allami. They were chosen from across the country, but none is widely known.
The U.S.-led occupation authority has already set aside an estimated $250-$260 million for the January elections.
Perelli said she expected about 30,000 polling stations would be needed in Iraq. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
