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Baghdad under anniversary curfew | |
(about 10 hours later) | |
Baghdad has imposed a one-day vehicle curfew as a security measure for the fifth anniversary of the city's capture by American forces. | |
Cars and motorcycles have been banned from the streets until midnight (2100 GMT), the Iraqi government said. | |
It is five years since US troops pulled down a large statue of the late Saddam Hussein in the city centre. | |
Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr earlier called off plans for a mass anti-American rally, citing security concerns. | |
In Sadr City, Baghdad's main Shia district, Iraqi and US forces again clashed with militiamen loyal to Mr Sadr on Tuesday. | |
Medical workers said at least 12 people had been killed. | |
Political threat | |
A one-million-strong protest had been planned to mark the date, Mr Sadr said. | A one-million-strong protest had been planned to mark the date, Mr Sadr said. |
He called it off, saying he feared there could be bloodshed. | |
Mr Sadr also threatened to suspend a truce - credited with helping curb violence levels in Iraq since last year - by his powerful Mehdi Army militia. | |
"If necessary the ceasefire will be lifted in order to implement our aims, ideology, religion, principles, nationhood," a statement said. | |
On Monday, Iraq's prime minister threatened to exclude the radical Shia cleric's movement from politics unless it disbanded the Mehdi Army. | On Monday, Iraq's prime minister threatened to exclude the radical Shia cleric's movement from politics unless it disbanded the Mehdi Army. |
In recent weeks, Mr Sadr's followers have clashed with Iraqi government troops and US forces in southern Iraq and Baghdad, as the government tried to crack down on militias. | In recent weeks, Mr Sadr's followers have clashed with Iraqi government troops and US forces in southern Iraq and Baghdad, as the government tried to crack down on militias. |