Security

Sadr Calls for Cease-Fire? (Updated)

Great news, potentially. According to the AP, "Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Sunday that he was pulling his fighters off the streets nationwide and called on the government to stop raids against his followers and free them from prison." The Iraqi government quickly welcomed al-Sadr’s apparent move to resolve a widening conflict with his movement, […]

Baghdadtopper
Great news, potentially. According to the AP, "Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Sunday that he was pulling his fighters off the streets nationwide and called on the government to stop raids against his followers and free them from prison."

The Iraqi government quickly welcomed al-Sadr's apparent move to resolve a widening conflict with his movement, sparked Tuesday by operations against his backers in the oil-rich southern city of Basra.*

Al-Sadr's nine-point statement was issued by his headquarters in the holy city of Najaf and broadcast through loudspeakers on Shiite mosques. It said the first point was: "taking gunmen off the streets in
Basra and elsewhere."*

He also demanded that the Iraqi government stop "haphazard raids" and release security detainees who haven't been charged, two issues cited by his movement as reasons for fighting the government.*

Followers handed out sweets in Baghdad's main Mahdi Army militia stronghold of Sadr City.

"In exchange for brokering the cease-fire, al-Sadr demanded that the government give his supporters amnesty and release any of his followers that are being held," CNN says.

Sadr's forces still appear to be in control of "wide swaths" of Basra. But "the Mahdi Army has suffered major losses," notes Bill Roggio, just back from Iraq. "The Mahdi Army has not faired well over the past five days of fighting, losing an estimated two percent of its combat power, using the best case estimate for the size of the militia."

A look at the open source press reports from the US and Iraqi military and the established newspapers indicates 145 Mahdi Army fighters were killed, 81 were wounded, 98 were captured, and 30
surrendered during the past 36 hours.

*Since the fighting began on Tuesday 358 Mahdi Army fighters were killed, 531 were wounded, 343 were captured, and 30 surrendered. The US
and Iraqi security forces have killed 125 Mahdi Army fighters in
Baghdad alone, while Iraqi security forces have killed 140 Mahdi fighters in Basra. *

UPDATE: The invaluable Iraqslogger has the full text of Sadr's nine-point "repudiation." The points are:

**

  1. Repudiation of the armed manifestations in Basra province and in all the provinces.
  2. Stopping the arbitrary illegal raids and arrests.
  3. The demand that the government apply the General Amnesty Law and release all detainees whose guilt has not been proven, and especially the detainees of the Sadrist Current.
  4. We announce our innocence (non-involvement) from those who carry weapons and who target our brothers and the governmental and service agencies and the offices of (political) parties.
  5. Cooperation with our brothers in the government in realizing security and in convicting the perpetrators of the crimes according to legal means.
  6. We affirm that the Sadrist Current does not possess heavy weapons.
  7. Working to return the displaced persons who fled because of the security events in their areas of residence.
  8. We demand that the government adhere to human rights in all its security measures.
  9. Working to achieve the reconstruction and service projects in all provinces.

Reports that Sadr demanded Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki leave Basra within 48 hours aren't confirmed -- at least by this document.

"Whoever coaxed this out of Moqtada al-Sadr isn't getting paid nearly as much as he/she deserves from his/her government," quips Abu Muqawama. "Well done, faceless bureaucrat/soldier/diplomat/spy."

UPDATE 2: "Did the United States have advance notice of Maliki's decision to attack Basra?" My sources think not. Marc Lynch weighs the evidence.

(High five: Drudge; photo: USAT)

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