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Show OAIU HERALD' A6 Truce calms Iraq s violence weakens U.S. backed premie Mggg3 Robert H. Reid THE ASSOCIATED y ! Str :q An BaeretfLew Zl PRESS ." BAGHDAD Rockets fell on the Green Zone and random machine gun fire rangout Monday in the southern city of Basra as Shiite cleric Muqtada sought to rein in his militia after a week of battles that claimed about 400 lives. The peace deal between and Iraqi government forces said to have been brokered in Iran calmed the violence but left the cleric's Mahdi Army intact and Iraq's prime minister politically battered and humbled within his own Shiite power base. , Prime Minister Nouri had promised to crush the militias that have effectively ruled Basra for nearly three years. The U.S. military launched air strikes in the city to back the Iraqi effort, But the ferocious response by the Mahdi Army, including rocket fire on the Uncontrolled Green Zone and attacks throughout the Shiite south, caught the government by surprise and sent officials scrambling for a way out of the crisis. The confrontation enabled to show that he remains a powerful force capable of challenging the Iraqi government, the Americans and mainstream Shiite parties that have sought for years to marginalize him. And the outcome cast doubt on President Bush's assessment that the Basra bat-- , tie was "a defining moment" in the history "of a free Iraq." With gunmen again off the streets, a curfew imposed in Baghdad last week was lifted at 6 a.m. Monday, except in Sadr City and two other Shiite neighborhoods. Streets of the capital U.S.-backe- d LleciGVGi"? ; Or Mayfco C Gifffc Cardo Spsclal W - lUf! 'i L . Discover the Power of Points When you Sign-u- p For CB Tuesday April 1, 2008 o round-the-cloc- Taking Reward Points to the Next Level from Central Bank KARIM Four-year-o- ld of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, on Monday. The boy was wounded in clashes Sunday between the Mahdi Army and government forces backed by the American military. buzzed with traffic and commerce. rity crackdown in Basra was Several rockets or mortars i aimed at weakening their ' s. movement before provincial slammed Monday into the Green Zone, the nerve center elections this falL of the American mission in ; U.S. and Iraqi officials insisted the operation was directed Iraq. But the U.S. Embassy said there no reports of serious at criminals and rogue militiamen some allegedly linked injuries. At least two Americans working for the U.S. gov- to Iran but not against the ernment were killed in Green Sadrist movement, which conZone attacks last week. trols 30 of the 275 seats in the national parliament. An American soldier was killed Monday by a roadside But Iraqi bomb in northeastern Baghpolitical officials said the Iranians played a key role in dad, the U.S. military said without specifying whether the hammering out the peace deal, attack occurred in a Shiite or boosting the Islamic Republic's Sunni area. The military also . intluence among the majority Shiite community. The officials said a U.S. soldier wounded south of Baghdad on March 23 died Sunday in Germany. ity because of the sensitivity of U.S. Defense Secretary Robthe inf ormatioa ert Gates said in Copenhagen, According to one Shiite Denmark that the violence in official, the deal was struck Shiite areas had not changed after hours of negotiations in American plans to withdraw the Iranian holy city of Qom I I more combat forces this ngures in iraq s involving Key f Shiite spring. major parties and representatives of the Iranian RevoRepublican Sea John McCain, who has linked his presilutionary Guard. dential campaign to the conTwo of the Iraqis present Ali Adeeb and Hadi duct of the war, said he was had "surprised" that presented documents and ordered an operation in Basra photos which they claimed rather than keeping the focus militia proved that in Iraq in on fighting was receiving Iranian weapthe northern city of Mosul . ons, the official said. ' d Iran is beFighting in the south helped lieved to supply weapons, monmake March the deadliest month for Iraqis since last ey and training to most Iraqi Shiite factions a charge the summer, according to figures Iranians deny. compiled by The Associated The Iraqi off icials would not Press. At least 1,247 Iraqis, includelaborate on Iran's role, and efforts to contact Iraqi repreing civilians and security persentatives who took part in sonnel, had been killed as of the Qom meetings were unsucMonday, according to figures cessful. compiled from police and U.S. Iran has been eager to military reports. The figure was nearly double the tally maintain unity among Iraq's for February and the biggest factious Shiites, believing that is the best way to ensure a monthly toll since August, n when 1,956 people died viogovernment in lently. Baghdad. In ordering his militia to "By all reports, Iran's role is not good," said Michael also destop fighting, manded concessions from the O'Hanlon, foreign policy Iraqi government, including expert at the Brookings an end to the "illegal raids and "They're arming all arrests" of his followers and groups. ...They want influence the release of all detainees who with everyone." have not been convicted of any A day after call, offenses. Iraqi officials sought to present Government spokesman Ali his decision as a victory for the welcomed government, despite the failure decision but told reporters of Iraqi forces to ' Monday that no political group dislodge Mahdi fighters from m was above the law. Basra strongholds. 5 well-inform- Open a checking account with debit card in April and we'll give you 3,000 points VP to get started! ' Once you get started those points will continue to add up quickly. 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