A fresh wave of bombings swept the Baghdad area today as Iraq braced itself for more violence ahead of the planned withdrawal of US troops from major cities next week.

A female suicide bomber blew herself up in Iraq today among police officers who were celebrating the release of a comrade from US custody, killing at least 22 people, Iraqi officials said.

Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered most of his militiamen to disarm but said yesterday he will maintain elite fighting units to resist the Americans if a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops is not established.

Followers of Muqtada al-Sadr accused the Iraqi government of targeting their political movement as security forces arrested 20 policemen linked to the anti-American cleric.

Shiite groups brokered a reported ceasefire today with militants fighting US and Iraqi forces in Baghdad’s Sadr City as the country’s army launched an offensive against al-Qaida’s main bastion in Iraq – the northern city of Mosul.

SHI’ITE extremists lobbed more rockets or mortar shells at the US protected Green Zone yesterday as American and Iraqi troops engaged militants in the most violent clashes in weeks in Baghdad.

US and Iraqi troops have killed 38 militants in fierce clashes in Baghdad, including 22 who attacked a military checkpoint in a Shiite militia stronghold, the US military said today.

Iraqi police said today that US helicopters are engaging Shiite militants in Baghdad’s embattled Sadr City district.

Rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said today that his threat to unleash an “open war” unless a crackdown against his Mahdi Army militia is ended applied only to foreign troops, not Iraqis.

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr issued a “final warning” to the Iraqi government to halt the US-Iraqi crackdown against his followers or he would declare “open war until liberation”.

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr tonight threatened a new uprising if a US-Iraqi crackdown against his followers continues.

Twelve people died in overnight clashes in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, which has become a chief battleground between US and Iraqi forces and the Mahdi Army of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, police and hospital officials said today.

A roadside bomb killed an American soldier in Baghdad today, capping the bloodiest week for US troops in Iraq this year. Clashes persisted in Shiite areas, even as the biggest Shiite militia sought to rein in its fighters.

Shiite militants fought US and Iraqi forces around Baghdad’s Shiite district of Sadr City early today despite a call for calm by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr following the assassination of one of his top aides.

SHI’ITE cleric Muqtada al-Sadr threatened yesterday to lift a seven month freeze on his Mahdi army militia if the Iraqi government does not halt attacks on his followers or set a timetable for a US withdrawal.

A suicide bomber killed at least 15 people and wounded eight at an Iraqi funeral today.

Iraq’s prime minister pledged to expand his crackdown on Shiite militias to Baghdad, despite a mixed performance so far against militants in the southern city of Basra.

Iraq’s prime minister insisted today that the week-long attempted crackdown against militia in Basra had been a “success,” despite the violent backlash it produced.

Fighting continued to paralyse the Iraqi city of Basra today as battles between government troops and militia spread across the country.

Tens of thousands of Shiite protesters took to the streets today over the government’s crackdown against militias in Basra as heavy fighting between Iraqi security forces and gunmen erupted for a third day in the southern oil port and Baghdad.

Tens of thousands of Shiite protesters took to the streets today over the government's crackdown against militias in Basra as heavy fighting between Iraqi security forces and gunmen erupted for a third day in the southern oil port and Baghdad.

Iraqi forces battled with Shiite militia today for control of the southern oil port of Basra.

Iraqi forces clashed with Shiite militias in the southern oil port of Basra today as a security plan to clamp down on violence between rival militia factions in the region began.

Radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced today that he will order his Shiite Mahdi Army to continue its ceasefire by another six months, giving Iraq a chance to continue its fragile recovery.

Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has threatened to lift a six-month ceasefire, credited with helping to reduce violence in Iraq, by the end of the week, a spokesman and another official said today.

A women wearing a suicide vest blew herself up near a popular market and a Shiite mosque in restive Diyala province north of the capital Baghdad today, killing eight civilians and wounding seven others, police said.

Hundreds of people, including many children, chanted slogans praising Saddam Hussein as they tossed flowers on to his tomb one year after he was executed.

US TROOPS killed 11 members of a Mahdi army splinter group yesterday, US officials said. The military also announced that it had detained two more suspects in the capture of three US soldiers earlier this year.

The spiritual leader of Iraq’s Catholics today made a Christmas appeal for refugees who have fled the country to return.

A suicide truck bomber attacked a police station in one of Iraq’s major oil hubs today, killing at least seven people and injuring 13 in an area home to many refinery workers and engineers, police said.

Attacks have plunged by 90% in southern Iraq since Britain withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, their commander has said.

Iraq was handed control of security in the mainly Shiite province of Karbala today, the eighth of the nation's 18 provinces to come out of military rule.

US forces targeting militants believed to have kidnapped two coalition soldiers raided the main Shiite district in Baghdad today. At least 13 people were killed, including a woman and children, Iraqi officials said.

US and Iraqi forces, backed by Polish army helicopters, swept through Shiite militia strongholds south of Baghdad, rounding up dozens of militants and killing two.

US forces targeting militants believed to have kidnapped two coalition soldiers raided the main Shiite district in Baghdad today. At least 13 people were killed, including a woman and children, Iraqi officials said.

US forces backed by attack aircraft killed at least 25 suspected Shiite militia fighters north of Baghdad today as they targeted a cell accused of smuggling weapons from Iran.

Prime Minister Nouri Maliki today told politicians that Iraqi forces were not ready to take over security from the US military across the country.

A roadside bomb rocked an eastern Baghdad Shiite neighbourhood this morning, killing at least 13 people and injuring 25 others when it exploded next to buses used by morning commuters, police and hospital officials said.

The US military believes that five British security guards kidnapped in May in Baghdad are still alive, the No 2 American commander in Iraq said today.

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered a six-month suspension of activities by his Mahdi Army militia in order to reorganise the force, an aide said today.

Sporadic gunfire echoed through the centre of Karbala in Iraq early today after clashes between rival Shiite militias claimed up to 51 lives.

Police ordered a curfew today in Shiite holy city of Karbala and told more than one million pilgrims to leave after two days of violence claimed least 26 lives during a Shiite religious festival.

American troops battled with Shiite gunmen today in Baghdad, killing at least eight in pre-dawn fighting, the US military said.

US troops clashed with suspected Sunni insurgents holed up in a mosque north of Baghdad and launched an air-to-ground Hellfire missile into the structure.