Najaf deal could spell trouble for US
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Thousands of peaceful Shiite Muslims on Friday reclaimed the Imam Ali mosque from militants loyal to maverick cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who called on his followers to lay down their arms.
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Fighting in Najaf, a holy city for Shi&#39;ite Muslims in Iraq, is at crisis point. Militiamen led by anti-US cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are holed up in the golden-domed Imam Ali mosque in a standoff against Iraq&#39;s interim government and American troops.
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US forces drew nearer to the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf on Monday, the site of a standoff between the American military and militants loyal to Shi&#39;ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr that&#39;s lasted almost three weeks.
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NAJAF, Iraq - Militants filed out of the Imam Ali Shrine, closed the doors behind them and turned over the keys to Iraq's top Shiite cleric Friday, symbolizing their acceptance of a peace deal to end three weeks of devastating fighting in this holy city.    By Friday afternoon, dozens of Iraqi police and national guardsmen surrounded the shrine compound - many kissing its doors and weeping - as the government began to re-establish control over the Old City of Najaf...
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A five-point ceasefire proposal accepted on Thursday by the interim Iraqi Government and Shi&#39;ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is expected to put a hold on the three-week-old battle between rebels and US-Iraqi forces in the holy city of Najaf.
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NAJAF, Iraq -- In a shabby but spotless living room in the holy city of Najaf, a top deputy of Shiite Muslim leader Moqtada al-Sadr quietly sketched out his vision of the Iraq to come, after the Americans withdraw.
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must make assurances that Sadr&#39;s followers are not &quot;persecuted&quot; and his aides are freed from US detention. Smeism said the deal would become effective only once the government agreed.
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NAJAF, Aug 22: Heavy clashes flared between US troops and militiamen in Najaf on Sunday after the suspension of a proposed hand over of the militia&#39;s shrine stronghold to Iraq&#39;s religious leadership.
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Iraq will send troops to Najaf to battle a Shiite Muslim militia after peace talks collapsed between the government and Moqtada Sadr.
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Explosions and gunfire shook Najaf&#39;s Old City on Sunday in a fierce battle between US forces and Shiite militants, as negotiations dragged on
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NAJAF, Iraq - U.S. warplanes bombed Najaf's Old City and troops clashed with Shiite militiamen Sunday amid fears a plan to end the standoff could collapse...
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Friday&#39;s defusing of the three-week military standoff in Najaf has the disappointing result that Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his militia survive to fight another battle, threatening US military forces and the fledgling Iraqi government.
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The battle of Najaf, in which Iraq&#39;s fledgling government is being held to ransom by the occupation of Shia Islam&#39;s holiest site, can be traced to American political and military failures in recent months.
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NAJAF, Iraq  - Fears of heavier fighting in Najaf grew on Wednesday after an Iraqi peace delegation failed to defuse a confrontation between US troops and militiamen holed up in a revered shrine in the city.
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Sporadic gunfire, explosions and a US bombing raid shook the city of Najaf today as militants retained control of a revered shrine, raising fears that a plan to end the crisis could collapse amid bickering between Shiite leaders.
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BAGHDAD, Iraq - The deadly showdown between U.S. troops and Iraqi militants in Najaf dominated Iraq's national conference Monday, with tribal and religious leaders deciding to send 60 delegates to the holy city to persuade a radical Shiite cleric to call off his fighters...
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NAJAF, Iraq  - Iraq's most revered Shi'ite  religious authority has agreed a "very positive" deal with  rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to end a three-week uprising by  Sadr's militiamen in the holy city of Najaf, police said  Thursday.