A U.S. Marine spokesman, Thomas V. Johnson, said insurgent positions were attacked with tank and aircraft fire. Sunni Muslim insurgents in Al-Fallujah are believed responsible for months of kidnappings and attacks against coalition forces.
In Al-Najaf, U.S. and Iraqi forces moved closer to a holy shrine where militiamen loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been holed up for weeks. Clashes near the shrine reportedly continued today.
Meanwhile, the country's leading Shi'ite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, is returning to Iraq today after around two weeks of medical treatment in London. A spokesman, Hamad al-Khaffaf, said al-Sistani has called on Iraqis to march on Al-Najaf to "rescue" the city.
Al-Sadr's militia last week promised to hand over the keys to the Imam Ali Mosque to al-Sistani but talks on the handover stalled.
(Agencies)
In Al-Najaf, U.S. and Iraqi forces moved closer to a holy shrine where militiamen loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been holed up for weeks. Clashes near the shrine reportedly continued today.
Meanwhile, the country's leading Shi'ite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, is returning to Iraq today after around two weeks of medical treatment in London. A spokesman, Hamad al-Khaffaf, said al-Sistani has called on Iraqis to march on Al-Najaf to "rescue" the city.
Al-Sadr's militia last week promised to hand over the keys to the Imam Ali Mosque to al-Sistani but talks on the handover stalled.
(Agencies)
