Gun battles rage in Najaf as US prepares for massive attack

Heavy gun battles are taking place in the holy city of Najaf today, as US forces prepare to launch a final assault on militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

It was not immediately clear if the stepped-up fighting signalled the beginning of the major offensive against al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army, but the US military and Iraqi forces said it was preparing for a full-scale assault to crush the week-long uprising.