Al-Mahdi army refuses to withdraw from the tombs; American soldier was killed
One American soldier was killed and other two wounded after their convoy was exposed to a bomb explosion to the south of Baghdad on Monday evening.
In al-Musil to the north of Baghdad, police and hospital sources said that 17 civilians were wounded in the clashes which took place to the western part of the city between the American occupation forces and gunmen while four persons were injured -- working in guarding oil firms -- when an explosion took place.
The Iraqi police said that unidentified persons assassinaed an Arab Mukhtar ( governor) of the former officials of the Baath party by bullets in Karkouk to the north of Iraq, and also the bodies of two Arab brothers were found killed by bullets in the same city.
In Baouba confrontations took place between the occupation forces and unidentified gunmen at an American inspection point in Bahraz area on Monday morning. Volume of losses was not known.
In Koufa city, witnesses and medical sources said that the explosion which hit al-Koufa mosque reuslted in killing three persons at least and wounding other 12, but explained that the news on the identity of the victims are still contradictory.
Concerning assassinations, unidentified persons in Baghdad killed yesterday Shaher Faisal Shaher, one of the prominent officials in Bader contingent of the "higher council of the Islamic revolution" led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.
In an unprecedented development, the Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi said that an agreement was reached over desolving the armed militias and annexing most of its members to the Iraqi forces and civilian sides.
Allawi said that the agreement includes all those who carried the weapons and belong to 9 main political parties, most of them are taking part in the new government.
The Iraqi prime minister said that according to the agreed upon plan, some 90% of these forces estimated at 100,000 members will be integrated either in the civilian commissions or the state's security forces like the armed Iraqi forces or the police forces or the internal security of the Kudish government. He added that the agreement considers all armed forces which does not fall under the control of the state as illegal. The list does not include al-Mahdi army and the agreement does not indicate the status of the fighters in Falujja city.
Meantime, supporters of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader said they will not withdraw from Imam Ali Tomb in Najaf before the formation of an elected democratic government. Sheikh Ahmad Sheibani who is considered the main speakers in the name of al-Sader said that al-Mahdi army will withdraw completely if the Americans implement their promises and permit the formation of a democratic government.