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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iraq's Shia militia 'stood down' | Iraq's Shia militia 'stood down' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Iraqi President Jalal Talabani says the Shia militia known as the Mehdi Army has stopped its activities on the orders of its leader, Moqtada Sadr. | Iraqi President Jalal Talabani says the Shia militia known as the Mehdi Army has stopped its activities on the orders of its leader, Moqtada Sadr. |
| The president described this as a new phenomenon, and a positive response to the new Iraqi-US security plan. | The president described this as a new phenomenon, and a positive response to the new Iraqi-US security plan. |
| He was speaking after receiving the new US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, who expressed hope for progress towards stability and prosperity. | He was speaking after receiving the new US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, who expressed hope for progress towards stability and prosperity. |
| But it came as officials said a bombing last week was Iraq's deadliest ever. | But it came as officials said a bombing last week was Iraq's deadliest ever. |
| The interior ministry raised the death toll from Tuesday's truck bomb in a market in the town of Talafar to 152, making it the deadliest single attack of the insurgency. | The interior ministry raised the death toll from Tuesday's truck bomb in a market in the town of Talafar to 152, making it the deadliest single attack of the insurgency. |
| THE MEHDI ARMY Who are Iran's Mehdi Army? | |
| Spokesman Brig Abdul Kareem Khalaf explained the delay in raising the death toll, saying 100 homes had been destroyed in the main blast. | Spokesman Brig Abdul Kareem Khalaf explained the delay in raising the death toll, saying 100 homes had been destroyed in the main blast. |
| "It took us a while to recover all the bodies from underneath the rubble of the homes... what did they achieve by using two tonnes of explosive to kill and wound 500 in a residential area?" | "It took us a while to recover all the bodies from underneath the rubble of the homes... what did they achieve by using two tonnes of explosive to kill and wound 500 in a residential area?" |
| However the figure of 152 was disputed by the mayor of the town, and dismissed by the US, which said the official count was still 83 dead. | However the figure of 152 was disputed by the mayor of the town, and dismissed by the US, which said the official count was still 83 dead. |
| The bomb attacks sparked a series of reprisals, apparently by Shia policemen, in which dozens of Sunni men were taken from their homes and shot dead. | The bomb attacks sparked a series of reprisals, apparently by Shia policemen, in which dozens of Sunni men were taken from their homes and shot dead. |
| The Reuters agency said vehicle and suicide bombings - which are generally blamed on Sunni extremists - had killed 400 people in Shia areas across the country in the past week. | The Reuters agency said vehicle and suicide bombings - which are generally blamed on Sunni extremists - had killed 400 people in Shia areas across the country in the past week. |
| Analysts say the bombing campaign has continued largely unabated since the Iraqi government, backed by US troops, launched a security crackdown in Baghdad in February. | Analysts say the bombing campaign has continued largely unabated since the Iraqi government, backed by US troops, launched a security crackdown in Baghdad in February. |
| Reprisals by Shia militias on Sunnis, however, have reportedly fallen off since the crackdown was imposed. | Reprisals by Shia militias on Sunnis, however, have reportedly fallen off since the crackdown was imposed. |
| Mr Crocker is hoping for stability, prosperity and friendship | |
| The Mehdi Army is one of the groups blamed for such attacks. It has been described by the US as the greatest threat to security in Iraq. | The Mehdi Army is one of the groups blamed for such attacks. It has been described by the US as the greatest threat to security in Iraq. |
| "People now are cooperating with government forces against terrorism as part of the security plan," Mr Talabani said. | "People now are cooperating with government forces against terrorism as part of the security plan," Mr Talabani said. |
| "Not to mention the fact that the Mehdi Army has become inactive. | |
| "Apparently the instructions of brother Moqtada Sadr have been effective, whereby there are no longer complaints by brother Sunni Arabs about attacks against them like before." |