Iraqi Police, Al-Sadr Militia Reportedly Clash

Imam Al-Mahdi Army fighters (file photo) 10 June 2004 -- There are reports of clashes between Iraqi police and fighters loyal to radical Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Najaf.
Hospital officials said at least one person was killed and some 14 others, including civilians, injured in the fighting. It was not immediately clear what started the fighting that began overnight.

Iraqi police said U.S. troops were not involved. Al-Sadr's supporters see the Iraqi police as being collaborators with U.S. forces.

Al-Najaf saw weeks of fighting between al-Sadr's Imam al-Mahdi Army fighters and U.S. troops. Al-Sadr last week agreed to withdraw his fighters from the shrine city after an agreement with Shi'ite elders.

(AFP/AP)