Six dead as Iraq police clash with Sadr militia

[maddezmom]

SAMAWA, Iraq (AFP) - Six people have been killed and 15 wounded in clashes between Iraqi police and militiamen loyal to Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr.

The clashes erupted after the main weekly Muslim prayers in the mainly Shiite southern city of Samawa on Friday and were continuing Saturday, other police sources said Saturday.

"Since last night, the hospital has received six dead -- five policemen and one civilian -- and 15 wounded, including seven policeman," said Lieutenant Ahmed Hadi, in charge of security at Samawa hospital.

There was no news on militia casualties.

Two policemen were killed when a mortar round crashed into the impoverished town's police headquarters on Saturday. The others were killed from gunshot wounds during the clashes, Hadi said.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061223/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrest_061223094744

[Kagemusha]

1. I bet that's with police loyal to SCIRI more than the "government"

Wonder who started the actual altercation. (Edit: Ah, looks like it was the police, objecting to militiamen carrying arms to prayers - not an innocent action; Al-Qaeda and other Sunni insurgents go after mosques on Fridays so everyone knows that armed militiamen protect them, so this was just looking for a fight.) I'm not sure actual street fights are good for non-Sadrists - once the police are just another tribe, so to speak, the badge gets you nothing.