Region | Iraq
Iraq tightens security amid deadly clashes
Residents are forced off the streets of Baghdad, while in Basra, British forces set up a checkpoint near a bridge.
- More than 200 people have been killed since Iraq launched on Tuesday a military offensive to root out rebels in Basra.
- Image Credit: AP
Baghdad: Authorities imposed tighter security in Baghdad and Basra on Sunday amid deadly clashes between the military and Shiite militia.
A curfew was imposed in Baghdad for the third day, forcing pedestrians and vehicles off the streets. Shops, offices, schools and colleges were closed in the city.
In Basra, British forces have set up a checkpoint at a bridge. The US military also called in air strikes, which has killed at least 70 people since Friday.
More than 200 people have been killed since Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki's government launched an assault to root out rebels in Basra on Tuesday.
In Baghdad, the fighting, which subsided on Sunday, has focused in the eastern slum area of Sadr City, a Mehdi Army bastion.
The US military says troops are fighting "rogue" elements of the militia but residents say the battle is a head-on clash with the Mehdi Army.
Share this article
Related Articles
Popular in News
News Editor's choice
-
Into an oasis of values
A place to snuggle in the warmth of old manners away from the bustle of city life
-
The walking MP
Rory Stewart's long walk in life has taken a new turn
-
What drives Africa's new kind of refugees?
Warming-driven factors have led many in the continent to flee their homes


