BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqis attending a national political conference agreed Monday to dispatch a delegation to the embattled city of Najaf to persuade rebellious Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to disband his militia, vacate a religious shrine and participate in the country’s political process.
The new initiative, described by political leaders as a final attempt to forge a deal with al-Sadr, would prevent the use of force to flush al-Sadr’s militia out of the gold-domed Imam Ali Shrine. The delegation of more than 60 people was scheduled to leave Baghdad early this morning. An aide to al-Sadr said the delegation would be welcomed in Najaf, but he refused to say whether the cleric would meet with the group or accept the terms.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has offered to play “a facilitating role” to help end the violence if all sides agree, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said Monday.
In Najaf, scattered fighting continued. U.S. Marines reinforced Army patrols in a vast cemetery, while armored patrols pushed closer to the shrine to raid what commanders called militia gathering points. U.S. forces also used artillery to pound suspected militia positions in the cemetery.
The political conference, which has been attended by about 1,300 Iraqis, had been convened to select an interim national assembly. But that task has been subordinated to find a solution to the standoff in Najaf between al-Sadr’s militia and the U.S. military. The conference will not decide on a national council until the delegation returns later today.
Violence persisted throughout Iraq on Monday.
In Baqouba, two civilians were killed and four others were wounded when a mortar hit their house, said Ali Hussein, a medic at the city’s main hospital.
Attackers ambushed a U.S. tank and set it on fire in Sadr City, a Baghdad slum and al-Sadr stronghold, the army said. The crew escaped with minor injuries.
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