BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 29, 2004
Rebel Iraq Cleric, U.S. In Talks
Negotiations With Al-Sadr Over Remaining Hotspots
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Workers check out a fire after saboteurs blew up a pipeline in al-Radgha, about 30 miles southwest of Basra on Sunday. (AP)
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Smoke bellows across sky, allegedly coming from US army vehicle hit by al-Sadr supporters in narrow alley, in Sadr City slum in Baghdad Saturday (AP)
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Locals assess damage done to buildings during airstrikes and gunbattles between U.S. soldiers and Mahdi army militiamen in Najaf Saturday, following cessation of hostilities (AP)
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British forces in the southern city of Basra, also the site of recent fighting, held similar talks with al-Sadr officials there.
Both areas had erupted in violence after U.S. forces and al-Sadr's militants began fighting in the holy city of Najaf three weeks ago, and the talks Sunday appeared to be an effort by both sides to expand on the peace deal that ended the Najaf crisis Friday.
An agreement, at least in Sadr City, remained elusive, however, with al-Sadr's aides demanding a U.S. pullout from the neighborhood, a condition U.S. officials refused.
In other developments:
U.S. forces and al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia have been fighting for weeks in Sadr city, the slum named for the rebel cleric's father. Though peace descended on Najaf on Friday, skirmishes continued Saturday in Baghdad, with militants firing mortars and automatic weapons at U.S. troops and tanks in the impoverished neighborhood.
In response, al-Sadr representatives, tribal leaders, Shiite politicians, government officials and U.S. military officers met Sunday in Sadr City to discuss the violence.
The head of the tribal negotiating team, Naim al-Bakhati, told reporters that all sides — including al-Sadr representatives — had agreed that damaged areas there be rebuilt, U.S. troops withdraw from the area except for their normal patrols and that Iraqi police be allowed to enter the slum.
But "there was no agreement on the Mahdi Army handing over their weapons," al-Bakhati said.
Sadr City police chief Col. Maarouf Moussa Omran said all sides agreed to observe a one-day truce until Monday morning to give the Iraqi government time to discuss the results of the meeting.
But Lt. Col. Jim Hutton, a spokesman for the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division, said "there has been no agreement of any kind," adding that the talks were not negotiations.
Sadr City remained relatively peaceful Sunday. Fighting Saturday in the slum killed 10 people and wounded 126, said Saad al-Amili, a Health Ministry official.
In Basra, a British commander held talks with al-Sadr's top representative in the city, Sheik Asaad al-Basri, and the pro-al-Sadr deputy governor, Salam al-Maliki.
Before the talks started, al-Basri told The Associated Press that "we want to avoid bloodshed but we have conditions that we will put forward to the British" including an amnesty for Mahdi Army members and compensation for victims of recent clashes.
Al-Basri also said they wanted British forces to keep out of the city center and use mutually agreed roads to reach their bases around the city.
Basra police chief Brig. Gen. Kadhim al-Ali said the two sides had reached an agreement that would be implemented in the next two days, pending the review of the British command.
The British military, however, denied making any deal.
"(The military) emphasized that we are here to support the Basra provincial council and that any negotiations or discussion must be with the Basra provisional council," said Maj. Charlie Mayo, a British military spokesman in Basra.
Insurgents have launched repeated attacks on Iraq's vital oil industry in a bid to damage reconstruction efforts and undermine the interim government, which relies heavy on oil income.
The latest attack occurred Sunday when assailants blew up several export pipelines in al-Radgha, about 30 miles southwest of Basra, an official at the state-run South Oil Co. said on condition of anonymity.
Iraq exports about 90 percent of its oil out of the south and sabotage last week had already halved normal exports to about 900,000 barrels a day. Sunday's attack cut exports to about 500,000 barrels a day, a second official with the company said on condition of anonymity.
If the fires aren't put out soon and other sabotaged lines aren't repaired, exports could be halted entirely, the official said.
On Saturday, saboteurs blew up another pipeline in the West Qurna oilfields, about 90 miles north of Basra.
©MMIV CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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