TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Al-Sadr Adds 6 Months To Cease-Fire Decree

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 23, 2008

BAGHDAD - Powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr opted Friday to keep the cease-fire order for his Mahdi Army militia in place for another six months, a step that will limit U.S. and Iraqi casualties while bolstering al-Sadr's importance as a political player as Iraqi factions jostle for power.

Opening a sealed statement from the firebrand leader, scores of Shiite clerics across the country read al-Sadr's message at Friday's prayer services. In al-Sadr's Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City, thousands of men sat and listened attentively to the statement as green and black banners - symbols of his movement - waved in a brisk wind.

Along with an increase in U.S. troop levels and a move by American-backed Sunni fighters to turn against their former al-Qaida in Iraq allies, the cease-fire has been credited with reducing war deaths among Iraqis by nearly 70 percent in six months, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.

The Associated Press

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT