“Nothing Has Been Done To Implement The Agreement On The Ground”
Related: Iraqi Forces To Take Over Sadr City
Iraqi Media:
Baghdad, May 14, (VOI) - A spokesman for al-Sadr movement loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday said his group would lay down their arms, abdiding by the deal they brokered with ruling Shiite Alliance.
“Al-Sadr movement intends to lay down their arms on Thursday despite provocative measures undertaken by security forces in Sadr city and other areas, sowing seeds of mistrust among against the deal brokered with the government,” Sheikh Salh al-Ubaidi, spokesman for Sadr movement, told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).
Sadr’s opposition movement in Parliament and the ruling Iraqi United Alliance(UIA) brokered a deal on the weekend to end the Baghdad fighting, although sporadic clashes keep breaking out.
The deal states the entry of government forces into Sadr city, four days after signing the agreement, giving time for armed group to lay down arms and to hand over medium and heavy weapons.
The spokesman noted “although there were a number of actions violating the deal, time is enough to implement the the agreement items,” calling for for security forces to stick to the agreement struck with al-Sadr movement.
Earlier, Iraq’s security forces urged Sadr’s movement to do more to ensure the weekend truce took hold and offered cash rewards for militiamen who gave up their weapons.
Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for Iraqi security forces in the city, said gunmen were still attacking troops in the capital despite the agreement to end nearly two months of fighting that has killed hundreds of people.
Clashes broke out in Baghdad overnight and on Wednesday, police said, killing seven people and wounding 28.
“So far we are still at the zero stage. Nothing has been done to implement the agreement on the ground,” Atta told reporters in a news conference.
“We expect our brothers in the Sadr bloc to help our forces implement the agreement. Some centers will be opened to offer money to those who hand over guns willingly.”
Despite the fresh violence, residents in Sadr’s eastern Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City and the U.S. military said it was calmer there on Tuesday night compared to recent weeks
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