Escalation in Najaf, exchanged accusations over bombardment of Imam Ali Shrine
Iraq, Military, 5/26/2004

Violent clashes between the fighters of al-Mahdi army and the American occupation forces witnessed an escalation in Najaf after Imam Ali Shrine was exposed to a bombardment by a mortar shelling resulted in wounding 10 Iraqis and great damages in one of the tomb gold- plated doors.

Deputy commander of the occupation forces Gen. Mark Kemet denied that the shelling which fell in the Imam shrine to be an American. He indicated that his forces will not permit the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader to push it to violate holy places and that the conflict among al-Sader's followers is not with the American forces, rather with the Iraqi people, as he alleged.

However, news reports in the city said that the supporters of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader confirmed that the shelling which fell on the tomb was an American. Al-Sader representative in al-Najaf, Ahmad al-Sheibani, said that five or six missiles hit the tomb area.

On the other hand, the secretary of the Shiite clergy Ayatullah Ali al-Seistani in Kuwait accused the followers of Muqtada al-Sader of targeting al-Imam Ali shrine in al- Najaf.

A statement issued by al-Mahri office deplored the operation which he decribed as cowardly and called on al-Sader forces not to use al- "Sahn al-Haidari " and the courtyard of Imam Ali shrine to pile up weapons and hide in these areas.

However, violent clashes renewed yesterday in al-Najaf between the American occupation forces and the fighters of al-Mahdi army which belongs to the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader. News reports said that these confrontations pushed the officials to evacuate the building of the al-Najaf governorate and surrounding buildings.

Meantime, one Iraqi child was killed and other four civilians wounded, including one woman, in a booby trapped car explosion yesterday in front of al-Karma hotel in al-Jadereyah area in the downtown of Baghdad.

The commander of the American third contingent denied the existence of any foreigners in the hotel adjoining the building of the Australian embassy. The occupation forces hurried to the area of the incident immediately and imposed a security belt.

On the other hand, the American army in Iraq announced the killing of one of its soldiers and wounding four others in a missile attack that targeted a base for the American occupation forces to the north west of Baghdad on Monday evening.

In Sameraa, news reports said that two men were killed, and two other wounded in al-Harmousheyah area to the east of the city after they had attacked a patrol for the occupation forces. Witnesses said that one American soldier was hit in the clashes and one military vehicle was damaged.

Previous Stories:
  One American was killed, al-Sader calls for continued resistance   (5/22/2004)
  Occupation forces kill 41 of al-Sader supporters in battles in al-Najaf   (5/7/2004)
  Ending al-Falluja besiege, Occupation forces kill 11 Iraqis in al-Najaf   (5/6/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search