NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — insurgency — 2006 — 06-aug-dec — Viewing Item

Sadr city checkpoints to be lifted { September 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/10/31/ap3132481.html http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/10/31/ap3132481.html Associated Press Iraq to Lift Sadr City Checkpoints By SINAN SALAHEDDIN 10.31.06, 6:43 AM ET Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered the lifting of joint U.S.-Iraqi military checkpoints around the Shiite militant stronghold of Sadr City and other parts of Baghdad - another apparent move to assert his authority with the Americans and appeal to his Shiite support base. U.S. officials apparently did not have advance warning of the order to remove the around-the-clock barriers by 5 p.m. Tuesday. A military spokesman, Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, said officers were meeting to "formulate a response to address the prime minister's concerns." Eyewitnesses said U.S. forces were seen dismantling checkpoints around Sadr City made of sandbags and concrete blocks Tuesday afternoon. The extra checkpoints were set up last week around Sadr City as U.S. troops launched an intensive search for a missing American soldier and raided homes looking for death squad leaders in the sprawling slum that is home to an overwhelmingly Shiite population of 2.5 million people. Other checkpoints manned by U.S. troops were erected in the downtown Karradah neighborhood where the soldier had been abducted. Al-Maliki's statement said such measures "should not be taken except during nighttime curfew hours and emergencies." "Joint efforts continue to pursue terrorists and outlaws who expose the lives of citizens to killings, abductions and explosions," said the statement, issued in al-Maliki's name in his capacity both as prime minister and commander of the Iraqi armed forces. Earlier in the day, Shiite gunmen largely shut down access to Sadr City to demand the removal of the checkpoints, acting on orders from radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Maliki's demand threatened to further upset relations between the U.S. and the Iraqi government that hit a rough patch last week after Al-Maliki issued a string of bitter complaints, at one point saying he was not "America's man in Iraq." Al-Maliki was apparently angered by a statement from U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad that the prime minister had agreed to set a timeline for progress on reaching security and political goals - something al-Maliki denied. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

100 americans die in iraq in month { September 2006 } Alqaeda blamed for shia attack in sadr city { November 23 2006 } Alsadr asks sunni leader to stop bloodshed { November 25 2006 } Attack on baghdad slum kills 161 { October 2006 } Attacks in iraq at record high says pentagon { November 2006 } Bombing at bakery kills British control of basra iraq continues { October 2006 } British journalists unlawfully killed by US forces { October 13 2006 } Charity worker slain in iraq { October 10 2006 } Former insurgents now look to US for protection { December 13 2006 } Iraq deaths multiply in new august count Iraq families exodus to escape violence { October 18 2006 } Iraq suicide bomber kills 63 { November 2006 } Iraq to take control of armed forces { August 2006 } Iraqi factions undercut plan to isolate extremists { December 22 2006 } Iraqis launch probe in rape murder of 14 year old { August 23 2006 } Militias splintering into radicalized cells { October 19 2006 } Record 3709 iraqis killed in october 2006 Report says 600k iraqi deaths since war { September 2006 } Sadr city checkpoints to be lifted { September 2006 } Shiite religious leader sistani pushes elections { December 20 2006 } Snipers kill 209 shiite pilgrims in iraq Spike in iraq violence claims 43 lives { September 18 2006 } Thousands mass for anti israel protest US casualties surge amid worsening iraq violence { October 12 2006 } Violence in iraq kills 10 US troops { October 18 2006 } Files Listed: 26

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