Militia clash with Iraqi army in Basra

Team Infidel

Media: AFP
Byline: n/a
Date: 16 August 2006

BASRA- Masked militia fighters fired rocket-propelled grenades at the
governor's headquarters in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Wednesday and
fought a brief exchange with government forces.

The black-clad militiamen traded fire with Iraqi soldiers after their attack
on the governorate building, but were quickly driven off or arrested,
according to an AFP correspondent at the scene.

Five of the attackers were detained, a police officer said.

There were no intitial reports of casualties.

British troops, which have responsibilty for security in Basra province,
arrived on the scene following the firefight.

The fighting in Basra came as government forces further north clashed with
Shiite militiamen in Karbala, Kut and in Mussayib, in skirmishes that left
at least 16 Iraqis dead on Tuesday.

Basra is Iraq's second city and a stronghold of Iraqi Shiite parties linked
to unofficial militias. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has vowed to curtail
the power of the gunmen, but has made little progress.