IRAQ: U S WARPLANES ATTACK SADR CITY DISTRIC/ ADVISER SAYS INTERIM GOVERNMENT WELCOMES AL -SADR'S DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL TO END REBEL FIGHTING
Record ID:
208333
IRAQ: U S WARPLANES ATTACK SADR CITY DISTRIC/ ADVISER SAYS INTERIM GOVERNMENT WELCOMES AL -SADR'S DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL TO END REBEL FIGHTING
- Title: IRAQ: U S WARPLANES ATTACK SADR CITY DISTRIC/ ADVISER SAYS INTERIM GOVERNMENT WELCOMES AL -SADR'S DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL TO END REBEL FIGHTING
- Date: 8th October 2004
- Summary: (W4) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 8, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF STREET IN SADR CITY 0.04 2. SLV PEOPLE GATHERING NEAR DAMAGED SHUTTERS OF SHOP 0.13 3. SLV PEOPLE STANDING INSIDE DAMAGED SHOP 0.16 4. CLOSE OF DAMAGED METAL 0.22 5. SLV OF CHILDREN STANDING IN FRONT OF DAMAGED OF SHOP 0.39 6. WIDE OF DAMAGED SHOPS 0.37 7. SCU SOUNDBITE (Arabic), RESIDENT OF CITY, SAYING: " The U.S. fired a missile at night at civilians to terrify them, causing this damage. What did those families and children do." 0.50 8. CLOSE OF PIECE OF MISSILE 0.57 9. CLOSE-UP OF PIECE OF MISSILE WITH "GUIDED MISSILE SURFACE." WRITTEN ON IT 1.05 10. SLV OF PEOPLE GATHERING ON SITE WHERE MISSILE LANDED 1.12 11. WIDE OF DAMAGED SHOPS AND BUILDING 1.19 12. WIDE OF PEOPLE IN STREET 1.28 13. WIDE OF SHEIKH ALI SMEISM, TOP ADVISER TO REBEL CLERIC MOQTADA TALKING TO REPORTER 1.33 14. SCU SOUNDBITE (Arabic) SHEIK ALI SMEISM, SAYING: "It is an initiative by the Sadr Movement represented by Sayyed Moqtada al-Sadr. The initiative aims to achieve peace and to bring together the oppressed Iraqi people and to stop the bloodshed and spare lives. This initiative is a gesture of good-will and peace to Iraq." 2.04 15. CLOSE OF SMEISEM'S HAND ON BOOK 2.08 16. SCU SOUNDBITE (Arabic) SMEISM, SAYING: " God will, weapons collection centres will be set up from tribes, local councils and police and a deadline will be set for turning in weapons." 2.23 17. WIDE OF SMEISEM WITH REPORTER 2.27 18. SCU SOUNDBITE (Arabic) SMEISM, SAYING: "The Iraqi government agreed yesterday to the initiative and the under-secretary of the Interior Ministry welcomed it and National Security Adviser Kassim Daoud appeared on television and welcomed it and was pleased by the initiative." 2.41 17. SMEISEM WITH REPORTER. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd October 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA9ARKIMK8J545ZIJ5FAX01ZV0N
- Story Text: Sadr's top adviser said on Friday Iraq's interim
government has welcomed proposal by rebel Shi'ite cleric
Moqtada al-Sadr to disarm and end fighting in the sprawling
district.
U.S. warplanes struck Baghdad's Sadr City
district late last night, killing two people.
Residents said a U.S. warplanes fired a missile at the
city around 23:30 local time (20:30 GMT) on Thursday
(October 7, 2004), killing two people and damaging a
number of shops.
" The U.S. fired a missile at night at civilians to
terrify them, causing this damage. What did those families
and children do," said a resident of the city.
The operation came amid announcement of approval of the
Iraqi government of a proposal by rebel Shi'ite cleric
Moqtada al-Sadr's militia to disarm and end weeks of
clashes between U.S. and Iraqi forces and followers of the
renegade cleric in the sprawling north-eastern Baghdad
slum.
U.S. forces have staged almost daily attacks in Sadr
City, both from the air and the ground, in an effort to
root out militiamen loyal to al-Sadr.
A rebel Shi'ite Muslim militia led by Moqtada al-Sadr
pledged on Thursday to disarm in what could be a major
advance for U.S.-Iraqi efforts to calm violence in Iraq
ahead of elections due in January.
The proposal, which meets a key demand of the interim government,
was announced by Ali Smeism, a top Sadr adviser. It followed
the release of a pro-Sadr cleric from U.S. detention in Abu Ghraib jail.
"It is an initiative by the Sadr Movement represented by
Sayyed Moqtada al-Sadr. The initiative aims to achieve
peace and to bring together the oppressed Iraqi people and
to stop the bloodshed and spare lives. This initiative is a
gesture of good-will and peace to Iraq, " Smeism told
Reuters on Friday.
Smeism said centres would be set up to collect weapons.
" God will, weapons collection centres will be set up
from tribes, local councils and police and a deadline will
be set for turning in weapons."
He said that Iraq's interim government has welcomed the
proposal.
"The Iraqi government agreed yesterday to the
initiative and Under-secretary of the Interior Ministry
welcomed it and National Security Adviser Kassim Daoud
appeared on television and welcomed it and was pleased by
the initiative."
Iraq's interim government said on Friday it welcomed a
proposal by rebel Sadr's militia to disarm, and said it
would meet at least
some of the demands made by Sadr as part of any deal.
"The government welcomes the announcement by Sadr that
his militia will disband, hand over their weapons, respect
the
authority and the unity of the state and abide by the rule
of law in Iraq," said a statement issued in the name of
Kassim
Daoud, Iraq's national security adviser and chief
negotiator.
If a deal were to be struck with the Mehdi Army, not
just in Sadr City, but in other Shi'ite flashpoints around
the country, it could go some way to stabilising the
country ahead of elections due in January, although the
Sunni-led insurgency remains a severe problem in central
and northern Iraq.
Sadr, via his aides, has also demanded financial
assistance in the rebuilding of Sadr City, a huge Shi'ite
slum district of Baghdad where the Mehdi Army have a strong
presence and where there have been recent nightly clashes
with U.S. forces.
In his statement, Daoud said reparations could be paid.
"The government looks forward to this undertaking being
respected and implemented," he said.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None