Two Italian women seized in Iraq; 40 Iraqis were killed

Relative calm returned back to al-Sader city in Baghdad following the violent battles that took place between al-Mahdi army and the American forces since Monday evening until Tuesday morning.

Some 40 Iraqis were killed and one American soldier and scores were injured in the clashes which erupted during the attempt made by the American forces to enter one of the quarters of al-Sader city to confiscate light weapons from al-Mahdi army.

The news said that al-Mahdi army announced a cease fire in the city and the supreme higher commission issued a statement in which it stressed commitment to cease fire which was called on by the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader several days ago.

The statement stressed commitment to halting all military operations except in case of self defense and breaking into the houses of innocent people.

In other field developments, armed gunmen kidnapped two Italian women and one Iraqi man and one woman in an operation in the downtown of Baghdad. Witnesses said that unidentified persons broke into the office of " a Bridge to Baghdad" non- governmental organization and kidnapped the four relief agency employees