Politics

Update: Najaf flashpoint

Air/Armor Supported Infantry
Pressuring Najaf Resistance to Leave
By Abdul Hussein al-Obeidi / The Associated Press
NAJAF, Iraq -- US infantrymen engaged in fierce battles with cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's militants yesterday, and US tanks moved closer to Imam Ali Shrine as the American military stepped up pressure on the insurgents to leave the holy site and end their uprising. US warplanes bombed the area of the Old City last night, and fires made the night sky glow, witnesses said. Ahmed al-Shaibany, an aide to Sadr, said shrapnel from the attack hit the shrine's golden dome, one of its minarets, and the compound's outer wall.

US piles pressure on Sadr fighters
with fresh air raids near revered mosque
Agence France-Presses
US forces unleashed a fresh wave of raids on positions held by firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr's militia in Najaf, where hopes of seeing a peaceful resolution to the bloody siege of a revered Shiite shrine were fast fading. An AFP correspondent said the strikes -- which went on for almost an hour -- hit several streets which lead to the shrine and flames could be seen shooting into the sky near the golden-domed mausoleum.

Najaf fighting more intense
Canned -- Associated Press -- Nation & World
U.S. troops have increased pressure on Iraqi insurgents there. NAJAF, Iraq — U.S. tanks and snipers took up positions near the revered Imam Ali Shrine and engaged in fierce battles with militants Monday as the U.S. military stepped up pressure on the insurgents to leave the holy site and end their uprising. Iran has called for an urgent meeting of Muslim nations to deal with Iraq. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami repeated denials of claims by some Iraqi officials that his country supports al-Sadr.

US Planes Bomb Najaf
Naseer Al-Nahr / Arab News
BAGHDAD -- US warplanes bombed Najaf’s cemetery and the historic center yesterday while US soldiers fought fierce battles on the ground with a Shiite militia in the town. Tanks approached within 250 meters of the Imam Ali Mosque, where many militants have sought refuge, the closest they have come to the compound in recent days. US snipers were on rooftops around the shrine, witnesses said.

Iranian hand in Najaf game
By Claude Salhani -- UPI / Washington Times
To establish the "why" of the fighting in Najaf, one must first try first to ascertain the "who." Who stands to profit from the turmoil? Who could be pulling Sheik al-Sadr's strings and, of course, to what end? The answer, no matter how you turn this thing around, dissect and analyze it, seems to point in one direction: Iran. Sheik al-Sadr has traveled twice to Iran in recent months. He maintains close links with Ayatollah Kazem al-Haeri, a cleric in the city of Qom and a close confident of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Analysts believe he receives support and most probably financing from Iran.

Iran Heightens Stakes in Battle to Control Najaf
By Ian Mather / Scotsman.com
Martyrdom lies at the heart of the history of the Shias. Ever since the founder of their faith, Imam Ali, cousin of the Prophet Mohammed, was murdered with a poisoned sword in the seventh century, the Shias have believed that their route to paradise is through suffering. That is why on holy days they cut themselves to draw blood and flog themselves with chains to bring themselves closer to the pain of the martyrs.

Iran Denies "Provocative Interference" In Iraq
Agence France-Presses
TEHRAN -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami denied any "provocative interference" in Iraq and any support for radical Shiite militia leader Moqtada Sadr, the official news agency IRNA reported Monday. "Not only has Iran never had any provocative interference in Iraq, but it has always tried to help implement peace, unity and convergence of groups in Iraq," Khatami told reporters in the shrine to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic republic.

Crude Oil Futures Little Changed
After Falling on Iraqi Exports
BLOOMBERG -- Crude oil futures were little changed after falling 1.4 percent yesterday as Iraq, the sixth-largest supplier to the U.S., increased shipments to tankers to normal rates for the first time in two weeks. Russian President Vladimir told President George Bush that Russian oil companies are increasing production and exports, Reuters reported, citing White House spokesman Scott McClellan. Russia was the world's second-largest crude exporter last year, after Saudi Arabia, according to the U.S. Energy Department.

Posted by Editor at August 24, 2004 04:51 AM