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Article: Shi'ite leader declares cease-fire; Orders 6-month freeze on attacks by militia.(PAGE ONE)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- August 30, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 The Washington Times LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: David R. Sands, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Anti-American Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr yesterday ordered a six-month "freeze" of activities by his Mahdi Army militia, a force accused of attacking U.S.-led coalition forces and operating "death squads" targeting the country's Sunni Arab minority.
U.S. officials greeted the announcement with caution, but the move could provide a significant boost for the security "surge" now under way in Baghdad and other parts of the country. Aides to Sheik al-Sadr confirmed the young cleric's order included a ban on all attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in the country.
"We declare the freezing of the ...