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U.S. provoking attacks: Al-Sadr

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA, SEPT. 7. At least 33 Iraqis and one American soldier have been killed in clashes between U.S. forces and fighters loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr in a Shia stronghold on the outskirts of Baghdad. The casualties took place during ongoing clashes which began overnight between the Mehdi militia, loyal to Mr. Al Sadr, and the U.S. troops inside Sadr city.

Many of the Mehdi militiamen have arrived in this neighbourhood from Najaf, where they fought intense battles with American forces recently. The U.S. military authorities said the clashes, in which 193 persons had also been injured, were triggered by attacks on troops when they were patrolling Sadr city. A spokesperson for Mr. Al Sadr said the attacks were not unprovoked. "U.S. forces, tanks and helicopters raid the city every day using toxic gases," said Raed al-Kadhemi.

Mr. Al Kadhemi said the U.S. military actions were impeding negotiations with the Iraqi interim Government to end the crisis. "The daily raids are foiling our attempts." Mr. Al-Sadr's aides later said peace talks had stalled, with the Iraqi interim Government refusing the cleric's demand that the U.S. troops should keep out of the area.

American casualties

The U.S. forces continued to suffer significant casualties, with four more troops dying on account of guerilla attacks. Twelve American troops have been killed in Iraq in the last 24 hours. Seven U.S. Marines had been killed in an ambush near Fallujah on Monday. A group linked to the Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — Tawhid and Jihad — posted a statement on a web site on Tuesday claiming responsibility for the deaths.

Kidnapped

AP reports:

An Italian aid organisation said on Tuesday that two Italian women were kidnapped from its office in Baghdad. The women, in their late 20s, worked for an NGO called ``A Bridge For...''

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