Baghdad (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Iraqi government announced a deal between Moqtada al-Sadr's militias and joint Iraqi-US forces in Sadr City, a neighbourhood in northern Baghdad. According to an al-Sadr spokesman, the deal involves an end to military operations by Iraqi and US troops in exchange for handing in weapons, the release of hostages held in rebel hands and an end to all terrorist attacks by the militias loyal to the radical Shiite leader.

Shekh Abid al-Zahra, from "Al-Sadr Martyrs", said that they were stopping all attacks against Iraqi and US forces and waiting for orders from Sadr City District authorities and the Ministries of the Interior and Defence to know the place where weapons have to be handed in over the next five days. A Shiite intermediary between the Iraqi government and al-Sadr's militias confirmed that the weapons will be handed over in exchange for money.

The terms of the deal are being broadcast over loudspeakers in mosques. Karim al Bakhiti, chief of a Shiite tribe, said that appeals are calling on fighters to stop all attacks against Iraqi and US troops.

For its part, the Iraqi government is going to free jailed militiamen and not to press charges against any of al-Sadr's loyalists. It has also pledged to invest US$ 500 million to rebuild the area. (FM)