Tense Eases in Diwaniya

The situation in Diwaniya is back to normal after two days of tension created by clashes between gunmen and the Iraqi government forces backed by the United States military. A security source in Diwaniya said that the fighting took place late on August 28 and early the following morning. Eyewitnesses told al-Mada that the fighting was sparked by the arrest of a leading figure in the Sadrist movement. An Iraqi army source said 25 government soldiers had been killed and five others were missing in action. The head of Diwaniya hospital, Dr Hameed Jiaati, said his staff had admitted 50 injured people and 70 corpses had been brought in.