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| Fierce clashes break out in Basra | Fierce clashes break out in Basra |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Heavy fighting has erupted in Iraq's southern city of Basra between Iraqi security forces and members of the Mehdi Army, a Shia militia. | Heavy fighting has erupted in Iraq's southern city of Basra between Iraqi security forces and members of the Mehdi Army, a Shia militia. |
| Police and military sources confirmed an operation was under way against the group and eyewitnesses speak of plumes of smoke and the sound of explosions. | Police and military sources confirmed an operation was under way against the group and eyewitnesses speak of plumes of smoke and the sound of explosions. |
| The city authorities have already imposed an indefinite night-time curfew because of the security situation. | The city authorities have already imposed an indefinite night-time curfew because of the security situation. |
| The powerful militia is loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. | The powerful militia is loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. |
| The fighting comes a day after a visit to the city by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. | |
| During his visit he said the government had "decided to re-impose security, stability and law" in Basra. | |
| The Mehdi Army warned on Monday it would retaliate if its members were targeted in any security clampdown. | |
| Last month Moqtada Sadr renewed a ceasefire his group had been observing since last August, but there are reports it is locked in a turf war with other Shia groups. | |
| British forces handed over control of Basra to the Iraqis last December. | British forces handed over control of Basra to the Iraqis last December. |
| Have you been caught up in events? Are you in the area? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Have you been caught up in events? Are you in the area? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
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| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |