Aug 26 Watch Al-Sistani Brokers a Peace Deal with Al-Sadr to End the Fighting in Najaf Iraq's two leading Shiite clerics agreed Thursday to a peace plan that calls for all armed fighters and foreign forces to withdraw from the cities of Najaf and Kuba. Continue watching
Aug 25 Watch Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Returns to Iraq as the Military Standoff in Najaf Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returned to Iraq Wednesday after undergoing surgery in London, urging his Shiite Muslim following to participate in a mass demonstration against the ongoing violence in Najaf. Ray Suarez speaks with John Burns of The New York… Continue watching
Aug 23 Battles Rage Between U.S. Forces, Shiite Militia in Najaf Fighting between U.S. Marines and loyalists to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr escalated in Najaf Monday as the U.S. military stepped up pressure on the militiamen to hand over control of the Imam Ali Shrine to religious authorities. Continue reading
Aug 20 Militants Remove Weapons From Shrine in Najaf Militants supporting radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr removed their weapons from the sacred Imam Ali Shrine in central Najaf Friday, bringing an end to a two-week standoff in the holy city. Continue reading
Aug 20 Watch Iraqi Police Seize Control of Holy Shiite Shrine, Arrest Rebel Militia Members The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced Friday that police seized control of the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf and arrested 400 members of militias loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, but the U.S. military said it could not confirm whether… Continue watching
Aug 19 Iraqi Government Gives Shiite Militia Final Warning Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi issued a "final call" to Shiite militants in Najaf Thursday, telling them to disarm and leave the sacred Imam Ali Shrine or face a massive onslaught by Iraqi forces. Continue reading
Aug 19 Watch Gunfights Intensify in Najaf, Iraqi Government Demands Rebels to Stop Fighting Fighting intensified in Najaf Thursday despite a demand from Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi that radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr end his rebellion and withdraw his militia from the sacred Imam Ali Shrine in the center of the city. Terence… Continue watching
Aug 18 Rebel Cleric Agrees to Cease-fire in Najaf Muqtada al-Sadr, the rebel Shiite cleric at the helm of a two-week uprising in Najaf against U.S. and Iraqi troops, accepted a plan Wednesday to end the fighting. Continue reading
Aug 17 Iraqi Delegation Seeks Meeting With Rebel Cleric Eight members of the Iraqi National Conference arrived in Najaf Tuesday to try to convince rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his militia to end a 12-day insurgency in the south. Continue reading
Aug 16 Watch Iraqi National Council Steps in To End 11-Day Najaf Standoff The Iraqi National Conference voted Monday to send a delegation to Najaf to broker a deal to end the 11-day standoff in the city. Terence Smith discusses Monday's developments with New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns. Continue watching