Al Sadr to extend ceasefire order to his army

Baghdad: Anti-US cleric Muqtada Al Sadr announced on Friday that he has extended a ceasefire order to his Shiite Mahdi Army by another six months, giving Iraq a chance to continue its fragile recovery from brutal sectarian violence.

His message was sent to by Shiite clerics during prayer services in mosques dominated by followers of the
cleric.

"According to an order by Sayyid Muqtada, activities of the Mahdi Army will be suspended ... for another six month period," Al Sadr's aide Hazim Al Aaraji said, using an honorific during his sermon at the Kazimiyah mosque in Baghdad.

Al Sadr's decision to halt the activities of his powerful militia for up to six months last August was one of critical steps that have been widely credited with bringing the Iraqi death toll down more than 60 percent in recent months.

The US military welcomed initial word of the decision, but pledged to continue cracking down on what it calls breakaway factions that persist in violence.

The military said in a statement, "This extension of his August 2007 pledge of honour to halt attacks is an important commitment that can broadly contribute to further improvements in security for all Iraqi citizens."