Winks Blog

Rival Shite Groups Kill

Good afternoon,

Clashes erupted between two rival Iraqi Shite groups this afternoon.
Dozens of martyr fighters attacked Iraqi policemen setting off car bombs and small arms fire. So far 13 are reported dead and wounded 43. This violence took place in 5 southern cities.

The violence began when supporters of "Radical" Cleric Al-Sadyr tried to reopen his office. When Shiites opposed to Sadyr tried to block this move, violence broke out. Al-Sadyrs office was set on fire and destroyed.

Quoted from the Associated Press:

21 pro-al-Sadr members of parliament and three senior Cabinet officials announced they would refuse to perform their duties indefinitely to protest the Najaf attack.
Municipal officials loyal to al-Sadr in several southern cities issued similar declarations.
As word of the Najaf attack spread, clashes broke out between the two Shiite rival groups across central and southern Iraq. The violence extended to the country's second largest city, Basra, where several hardline Shiite groups are competing for influence.
Fighting was reported in at least six Basra neighborhoods as al-Sadr's followers attacked SCIRI offices and the headquarters of SCIRI's Badr Brigade militia, setting it ablaze, police said. Al-Sadr's headquarters in Basra was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, according to police.

Hold on to your hats folks. The scent of civil war is growing stronger. I'll keep running death totals as they come in.

Have a nice evening.

posted by Wink @ 6:22 PM