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Total curfew declared in Baghdad | Total curfew declared in Baghdad |
(20 minutes later) | |
The Iraqi government has declared an immediate curfew in the capital, Baghdad, to run until Sunday morning. | The Iraqi government has declared an immediate curfew in the capital, Baghdad, to run until Sunday morning. |
The move affects both vehicles and pedestrians, a spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister said. | The move affects both vehicles and pedestrians, a spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister said. |
The spokesman did not reveal why a curfew was being put in place, but sectarian violence and blasts have been increasing in recent days. | The spokesman did not reveal why a curfew was being put in place, but sectarian violence and blasts have been increasing in recent days. |
The brother-in-law of the new chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial was shot dead in Baghdad late on Thursday. | The brother-in-law of the new chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial was shot dead in Baghdad late on Thursday. |
The curfew order was announced on state broadcaster Iraqiya. | The curfew order was announced on state broadcaster Iraqiya. |
"The government has decided to enforce a curfew on vehicles and individuals starting from Friday evening until 0600 on Sunday morning (0200 GMT)," the message said. | "The government has decided to enforce a curfew on vehicles and individuals starting from Friday evening until 0600 on Sunday morning (0200 GMT)," the message said. |
An unidentified official at the interior ministry told the Associated Press news agency that "intelligence information on the security situation" had made the announcement necessary. | An unidentified official at the interior ministry told the Associated Press news agency that "intelligence information on the security situation" had made the announcement necessary. |
'Spike' | 'Spike' |
US and Iraqi troops have been reinforcing operations against insurgents and sectarian militias in Baghdad. | US and Iraqi troops have been reinforcing operations against insurgents and sectarian militias in Baghdad. |
On Wednesday a US military spokesman said that there had been a spike in violence coinciding with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on Monday, and that suicide attacks were at record levels. | |
Judge Mohammad Oreibi al-Khalifa was appointed last week | |
He also said Iraqi security forces were "making a concerted effort" to end sectarian violence by targeting death squads. | |
Shortly after he spoke, 10 people were killed and 11 injured in a shoot-out at a Sunni mosque in the capital. | Shortly after he spoke, 10 people were killed and 11 injured in a shoot-out at a Sunni mosque in the capital. |
Shia and Sunni militia groups have increasingly been engaged in tit-for-tat attacks on each other since an important Shia shrine in the northern town of Samarra was attacked in February. | |
A Sunni-led insurgency that erupted after the ousting of Saddam Hussein is also continuing. | |
On Thursday, gunman ambushed a car carrying Kadhem Abdul Hussein, the brother-in-law of Judge Mohammad Oreibi al-Khalifa, who is presiding over Saddam Hussein's genocide trial. | On Thursday, gunman ambushed a car carrying Kadhem Abdul Hussein, the brother-in-law of Judge Mohammad Oreibi al-Khalifa, who is presiding over Saddam Hussein's genocide trial. |
Mr Abdul Hussein was killed outright and police said his son was injured. | Mr Abdul Hussein was killed outright and police said his son was injured. |