Article: Al sadr suspends attacks by mahdi army militia

Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al Sadr has ordered a six-month suspension of activities by his Mahdi Army militia in order to reorganise the force, an aide said.

The aide, Sheikh Hazim al Araji, said on Iraqi state television that the goal was to "rehabilitate" the organisation, which has reportedly broken into factions, some of which the US maintains are trained and supplied by Iran.

"We declare the freezing of the Mahdi Army without exception in order to rehabilitate it in a way that will safeguard its ideological image within a maximum period of six months starting from the day this statement is issued," al Araji said, reading from a statement by al Sadr.

In Najaf, al Sadr's spokesman said the ...

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