Iraq's Sadr tells militia to keep observing freeze

seems the US has learned from the lessons of doling out millions in sacks to the afghan warlords through its proxies and maybe applying the lessons in iraq. and not to underestimate muqteda al sadr - he may have stumbled upon mao's dictum - 'when the enemy advances, we retreat' ... the other part of that quote is also interesting '...and when the enemy retreats we attack.' t

By Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Anti-U.S. cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has ordered his Mehdi Army militia to maintain its six-month ceasefire, Sadr's spokesman said on Thursday, while his militiamen clashed with Iraqi and U.S. soldiers.

Salah al-Ubaidi said the ceasefire, which expires later this month, should continue to be observed until militia members are told it is over or has been renewed.

Some members of Shi'ite cleric Sadr's bloc are pressuring him not to extend August 29's freeze on the feared Mehdi Army's activities, which has been vital to cutting violence in Iraq.

Attacks across the country have fallen by 60 percent since June 2007 and a return to hostilities could seriously jeopardize those security gains.

"Any member of the Mehdi Army who conducts violent acts during the ceasefire, the Sadr office declares they will no longer be part of the Mehdi Army," Sadr said in a statement read to Reuters by Ubaidi.