Militia violence: Basra and beyond
Updated on 25 March 2008
The grip of the militia of the Mehdi Army over Iraq's second largest city and other parts of the country, is challenged today by the Iraqi army.
There are at least 22 dead, as the government tries, street by street, to do what the British army couldn't and clean up the centre of Iraq's oil wealth - Basra.
The Mehdi army control most of Basra. You can't find any national army on the streets. They control police stations, and they even capture prisoners from the national guard.
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Locals said murder and kidnapping had spun out of control. Even though in December Britain said Basra was safe enough for the Iraqis to run it.
Today, Britain and America stood back, only a few helicopters observing. Iraq's prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, was on the scene, vowing to re-impose law.
But within hours Basra's clashes became something bigger. Their gunmen seized control of part of Kut. A curfew was then imposed across that city and in Nasiriyah, Hilla and Samawa.
Militia also poured onto the streets of Najaf and the Baghdad slum of Sadr City, where they reportedly forced Iraqi police off the streets.
Iraqi and American forces later entered Sadr City, causing damage, after rockets were fired from here, into the international zone.
The militia's leader is threatening escalation unless the campaign of arrests against it stops.
This militia is a by-product of five years of anarchy. But it's unclear if any single man is in charge of this sprawling, violent gang.
Muqtada al-Sadr is meant to be. But recently admitted his leadership was shaky. Fears are growing he might not be able to stop the uprising that seems to be starting.
It's all a far cry away from December's handover of the city to Iraqi control.
While officers privately admitted the violent Mehdi army dominated the city, the official line was violence was down. So today it was about explaining this sea change.
Major Tom Holloway said: "In essence the situation has changed otherwise the Iraqi government would not be launching an operation like this."
But he said British tanks would not be rolling back into Basra.
This crisis could not have come at a worse time.
The Mehdi Army's months-long ceasefire has helped reduce American casualties and boosted the relative success of its surge security plan.
But now Basra's clashes risk putting this sprawling militia on the offensive again and causing one of Iraq's many nightmares to recur.
