Rebel cleric orders his forces out of holy cities

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.

The order fulfilled a key aspect of an agreement meant to end fighting between his militia forces and US troops.

Al-Sadr called on fighters who had come here from other parts of Iraq to help fight the Americans to return home ”to carry on their duties as God wants".

The firebrand Shiite said last week he would cooperate with the new interim Iraqi government if it works to end the US military presence.

Al-Sadr launched an uprising after US occupation authorities closed his newspaper, arrested a key aide and announced a warrant for his arrest for the murder of a moderate cleric.

Outraged loyalists rallied to his defence and then kept on fighting, motivated by religious zeal and admiration because he stood up to the Americans.

Although al-Sadr’s forces are still fighting American troops periodically in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, the Americans forced the militia to abandon another Shiite city, Karbala and to accept a truce this month in Najaf and Kufa.

The truce has generally held despite a flare-up of fighting last week between the militia and Iraqi police.