Friday, April 06, 2007
Operation Black Eagle targets Mahdi Army in Diwaniyah
Security
(Reuters) - Iraqi and U.S. troops on Friday moved into the southern city of Diwaniya, a stronghold of Shi'ite militia loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, in an operation to curb the militia's increasing influence. The U.S. military said in a statement that Operation Black Eagle aimed "to disrupt militia activity and return security and stability of the volatile city back to the Iraqi government".
Residents and an Iraqi security source in Diwaniya told Reuters a curfew had been imposed and that troops were blocking streets and conducting house-to-house searches. The security source said police in the city, many of whom are suspected of being infiltrated by Sadr's Mehdi Army militia, had been ordered to stay at home.
"There were clear instructions for local police not to report to work today. The security forces are from outside the city," the source told Reuters. Diwaniya, 180 km (110 miles) south of Baghdad, has witnessed fierce street battles between U.S.-led forces and Mehdi Army militiamen in recent months.
Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has vowed to target militias and Sunni insurgents in a major new security crackdown aimed at curbing sectarian violence in Iraq that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The crackdown is focussed on Baghdad, epicentre of the violence, but the government has said it will start spreading to other cities.
Residents and an Iraqi security source in Diwaniya told Reuters a curfew had been imposed and that troops were blocking streets and conducting house-to-house searches. The security source said police in the city, many of whom are suspected of being infiltrated by Sadr's Mehdi Army militia, had been ordered to stay at home.
"There were clear instructions for local police not to report to work today. The security forces are from outside the city," the source told Reuters. Diwaniya, 180 km (110 miles) south of Baghdad, has witnessed fierce street battles between U.S.-led forces and Mehdi Army militiamen in recent months.
Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has vowed to target militias and Sunni insurgents in a major new security crackdown aimed at curbing sectarian violence in Iraq that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The crackdown is focussed on Baghdad, epicentre of the violence, but the government has said it will start spreading to other cities.
A security source in Diwaniya said clashes erupted in the southern parts of the city where Mehdi Army militiamen are most powerful. Medical sources said four civilians were wounded. Some residents welcomed the operation and said the militias have been ruling the city through fear.
Labels: curfew, Diwaniya, Mahdi Army, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Operation Black Eagle
