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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 amid a major pre-dawn offensive by Iraqi security forces against rival Shia militias. | |
| Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki is in Basra overseeing the operation, a day after he vowed to "re-impose law" in the oil-rich city, the UK military said. | Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki is in Basra overseeing the operation, a day after he vowed to "re-impose law" in the oil-rich city, the UK military said. |
| Eyewitnesses speak of plumes of smoke, explosions, tanks and artillery. | Eyewitnesses speak of plumes of smoke, explosions, tanks and artillery. |
| The British military, which returned control of Basra to the Iraqis in December, said it was not involved. | The British military, which returned control of Basra to the Iraqis in December, said it was not involved. |
| A spokesman for UK forces, now based only at Basra airport, said the operation was being directed entirely by Iraqi troops and that Mr Maliki was overseeing it from a military base at an undisclosed location in the city. | A spokesman for UK forces, now based only at Basra airport, said the operation was being directed entirely by Iraqi troops and that Mr Maliki was overseeing it from a military base at an undisclosed location in the city. |
| Security clampdown | Security clampdown |
| Authorities in Basra have already imposed an indefinite night-time curfew because of the security situation. | Authorities in Basra have already imposed an indefinite night-time curfew because of the security situation. |
| The Iraqi army conducted raids across Basra on Tuesday, while routes into the city have been sealed off, according to reports. | The Iraqi army conducted raids across Basra on Tuesday, while routes into the city have been sealed off, according to reports. |
| Officials at the city's hospitals said a number of wounded people had been brought in. | Officials at the city's hospitals said a number of wounded people had been brought in. |
| A military official in Basra told Reuters news agency: "Basra is half empty. There are no vehicles and no one is going to work. People are afraid to go out." | A military official in Basra told Reuters news agency: "Basra is half empty. There are no vehicles and no one is going to work. People are afraid to go out." |
| After Monday's curfew was imposed, the powerful Mehdi Army warned it would retaliate if its members were targeted in any security clampdown. | After Monday's curfew was imposed, the powerful Mehdi Army warned it would retaliate if its members were targeted in any security clampdown. |
| The militia is loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, who last month renewed a ceasefire the group had been observing since last August. | The militia is loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, who last month renewed a ceasefire the group had been observing since last August. |
| But it is reportedly in the middle of a turf war with rival Shia militias. | But it is reportedly in the middle of a turf war with rival Shia militias. |
| There have been a number of assassinations and kidnappings in its Basra stronghold. | There have been a number of assassinations and kidnappings in its Basra stronghold. |
| Criminal gangs have been vying for control of lucrative oil-smuggling routes, say correspondents. | Criminal gangs have been vying for control of lucrative oil-smuggling routes, say correspondents. |
| The oil fields in the Basra area are the source of most of Iraq's revenues. | The oil fields in the Basra area are the source of most of Iraq's revenues. |
| The BBC's Adam Brookes says the operation appears to be aimed at loosening the grip of militias and criminal gangs on Iraq's most economically important city. | The BBC's Adam Brookes says the operation appears to be aimed at loosening the grip of militias and criminal gangs on Iraq's most economically important city. |
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