Four Iraqis die in Najaf clashes

Four Iraqis were killed and 13 injured as Shiite gunmen seized an Iraqi police station in the holy city of Najaf and held it for two hours today.

It was the first outbreak of fighting since an agreement to end weeks of bloody clashes between US troops and militia forces.

As violence continued before Iraq authorities prepared for the hand over of power, the interim prime minister sought to shore up internal political support by promising to honour the interim constitution.

Chaos swept the southern city of Najaf after gunmen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr overran the Ghari police station, 250 yards from the Imam Ali Shrine.

The station was looted and police cars were burned.

“We sent a quick reaction unit to assist the policemen defending the station, but they were overwhelmed by al-Sadr fighters,” said Najaf Governor Adnan al-Zurufi.

“We will solve this problem as soon as possible. We will ask for the help of the Americans, if necessary.”

Hours later, al-Sadr’s forces withdrew, and disappeared from the city’s streets. Rioters looted the cars that had been attacked outside the station.

US forces were not involved in the clashes, and it was unclear whether the violence marked the end of the ceasefire in Najaf, mediated by Shiite leaders and al-Sadr’s militia, or resulted from police attempts to crack down on petty crime in the city.

Police and witnesses said trouble started when authorities tried to arrest some suspected thieves at the bus station near the main police headquarters.

Masked attackers, possibly including some of al-Sadr’s militia, responded with machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades near the headquarters building.

Iraq’s interim authorities took steps today to reassure Kurdish members of their government, who have threatened to walk out because the UN Security Council resolution dealing with the transfer of sovereignty failed to include an endorsement of the interim constitution – known as the Transitional Administrative Law.

The Kurds fear they will be sidelined politically by the Shiite Arab majority, despite assurances from Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and others that the new government would stick by its commitments for communal rights.

In an attempt to head off trouble, Allawi’s spokesman, Gorgues Hermez Sada, attempted to make it clear that the government intended to honour the interim constitution set up by the former Governing Council during the time Iraq makes the transition to elections, expected next year.

“The Iraq interim government announced its adherence to this law during the transitional period,” Sada said.