Clashes in Samawa

Samawa residents are cautiously watching the situation in their city (located 270 kilometres south of Baghdad) after clashes broke out between British soldiers and al-Mahdi Army militia in al-Haideriya neighbourhood. Al-Mahdi army fighters (belonging to the young Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr) were deployed throughout the city following the clashes, and the police did not interfere. Sadr supporters clashed Saturday with the British patrol in Samawa. A taxi driver was killed and three civilians were wounded. Hazim al-Araji, who heads the Sadr office in al-Khadimiya, would not comment on the clashes. He said the Sadr office in Samawa is the only body authorized to give statements about the clashes.