Iraqi cleric Sadr extends militia ceasefire
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Powerful Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadrextended his Mehdi Army militia ceasefire by six months onFriday, a decision U.S. officials said would help fosterreconciliation among Iraq's divided communities.
The renewal was welcomed by Iraq's government and the U.S.military, which both say the initial six-month truce helped toreduce attacks on U.S. and Iraqi troops as well as tit-for-tatsectarian violence that pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.
In a statement, the U.S. military said it was ready fordialogue with Sadr's movement, which opposes the American trooppresence in Iraq. Sadr led his militia in two uprisings againstU.S. forces in 2004.
Sadr's decision could prove vital in determining whetherthe security gains can be maintained, thus allowing the U.S.military to continue withdrawing soldiers beyond the more than20,000 that are scheduled to leave by July. There are around155,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
A number of Mehdi Army members interviewed by Reutersexpressed unhappiness with Sadr's order, which they believewill expose them to attack by U.S. forces, but said they wouldobey.
"We knew there would be an extension of the freeze, but wethought it would be for a shorter period and we expected to beallowed to act in self-defence against U.S. forces. Now, afterthis statement, we can't defend ourselves," said Amer al-Moussawi, a Mehdi Army member in the Shi'ite holy city ofNajaf.
The U.S. military has blamed the Mehdi Army for fuelling acycle of sectarian violence with Iraq's Sunni Arab minority in2006 and 2007 and at one time called the militia the greatestsingle threat to peace in the country.
"We have extended the freezing of activities of the MehdiArmy," said Asaad al-Naseri, a preacher at a mosque in the holyShi'ite town of Kufa, reading a statement issued by Sadr thatwas distributed to a number of prominent Shi'ite mosques.
Naseri said the renewal would last until mid-August.
A senior member of the movement said Sadr -- a reclusivecleric who has rarely appeared in public in the past year --ordered the extension so rogue members of the Mehdi Army whohad disgraced its reputation could continue to be weeded out.
Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh praised the move.
"This suspension will culminate in the ultimate dissolutionof armed groups," Saleh told Reuters by telephone.
The U.S. military said the truce extension would allowsecurity forces to focus on combating Sunni Islamist al Qaeda,which it now regards as the biggest threat to Iraq's security.
"This extension ... is an important commitment that canbroadly contribute to further improvements in security for allIraqi citizens," the military said in a statement.
"It will also foster a better opportunity for nationalreconciliation ... We also welcome an opportunity toparticipate in dialogue with the Sadr (movement) and all groupswho seek to bring about reconciliation in building the newIraq."
U.S. commanders have had contact with some local officialsof the Sadr movement, but the military's call for dialogueappeared to represent an attempt to formalise that process.
STRUGGLE FOR POWER
Sadr's decision had been sent in sealed envelopes to imamsof mosques affiliated with the cleric. The imams had beenordered to read the decision at midday Muslim prayers.
Many Mehdi Army members and Sadrist political leaders hadwanted the truce scrapped, saying it was being exploited byIraqi and U.S. forces to arrest Sadrists, especially insouthern Iraq, where rival Shi'ite factions are vying fordominance.
Sadr called the truce after deadly clashes in late Augustbetween his militia, Iraqi forces and the Supreme Islamic IraqiCouncil (SIIC), a rival Shi'ite faction, in the city ofKerbala.
Some analysts had said Sadr would be forced to renew thetruce given higher U.S. troop levels in Iraq, a move by someSunni Arab insurgents to stop fighting and anger in Shi'iteareas at criminal activities by groups using the militia'sname.
"For the time being, the cost of declaring an all-out waron (SIIC) and the United States is far too high," PeterHarling, a Damascus-based analyst with the International CrisisGroup (ICG) think-tank, told Reuters by telephone.
"This is an opportunity that should not be wasted. It isone last opportunity to engage with the Sadrist movement andtry to encourage positive change," added Harling, author of anICG report this month on the Sadrists and the ceasefire.
U.S. commanders say violence in Iraq has dropped 60 percentsince June 2007, owing to Sadr's ceasefire, 30,000 extra U.S.soldiers and many Sunni Arab leaders turning against al Qaeda.
(Additional reporting by Ross Colvin in Baghdad and KhaledFarhan in Kufa; Writing by Dean Yates and Ross Colvin; Editingby Samia Nakhoul)