US forces sealed all roads leading to the besieged militant stronghold of Fallujah today and pounded the city with air strikes in advance of an all-out assault.

British soldiers clashed with Shiite fighters loyal to rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in south-eastern Iraq today after they arrested one of the militia’s leaders.

Rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr today ordered members of his militia to leave the Iraqi holy cities of Nafaj and Kufa unless they live there.