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Attacks mark Baghdad anniversary | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
At least six people have been killed in mortar attacks in Baghdad on the fifth anniversary of the city's capture by American forces. | |
The attacks, in the Sadr City district of the city, came as the capital observed a vehicle curfew. | |
Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr had called for a mass anti-American rally, but cancelled it amid security concerns. | |
It is five years since US troops pulled down a large statue of the late Saddam Hussein in the city centre. | It is five years since US troops pulled down a large statue of the late Saddam Hussein in the city centre. |
Witnesses and officials told the BBC that one mortar exploded at a funeral wake, killing one person and wounding unknown others. | |
A second mortar landed on a building, killing five. | |
Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses diplomatic missions and much of Iraq's government, also came under mortar fire but there are no reports of injuries. | |
Cars and motorcycles have been banned from the streets until midnight (2100 GMT), the Iraqi government said. | |
People have been mostly staying at home, reports say. | |
Clashes overnight in Sadr City between Iraqi and US forces and militiamen loyal to the cleric left at least 12 people dead, medical workers said. | |
Fragile truce | |
Moqtada Sadr had said that a one-million-strong protest was planned to mark the anniversary, but he called it off, saying he feared there could be bloodshed. | |
Gen Petraeus said Iraq's security improvement remains fragile | |
He 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. | "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 he disbanded the Mehdi Army. | |
In recent weeks, Moqtada 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, Moqtada 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. |
On Tuesday, the top US military leader in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, told US Congress that any progress recently made in Iraq were "fragile and is reversible". | |
He recommended a suspension of US troop withdrawals after July to protect security gains made during the Iraq "surge", which saw an increase in US forces. | |
After the planned "drawdown" of about 20,000 troops, there should be a 45-day "period of consolidation and evaluation", Gen Petraeus said. |