curfew By Mohammad Al-Ghazzi BAGHDAD, March 30 (KUNA) -- Fierce armed clashes raged for sixth day in a row on Sunday between Iraqi regular forces and gunmen of the Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr in and around the southern city of Basra.
The clashes with automatic guns, mortars and rockets were reported in the districts of Al-Maaqal, Khamsa Meel, Al-Tamimah, Al-Hakimiah and Al-Jumhouriah.
Witnesses said Al-Sadri gunmen were seen in control of several districts in the southern city and that they had planted mines and booby traps at road intersections to impede advance and movement of the regulars. They added that the local troops were backed by American and British foces.
The government forces, in the campaign against the militiamen, have dislodged the gunmen from several areas, including the district of Al-Shatt Al-Arab, Al-Tanoumah, the city complex, the oil complex, Al-Kafaat and Al-Arousa public square.
Late on Saturday, three persons were killed and seven others were wounded in air strike by the Multi-National Forces north of Basra, the witnesses said. Aircraft bombed a house after spotting three gunmen on its top and killed two others who were close to a rocket launcher in Husainiyat Al-Zahraa region.
In the region of Al-Maaqal north of Basra, the witnesses said three persons were killed in MNF air raids last night.
Medical sources in basra told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the number of people who have been killed in Basra since flare-up of the fighting last Tuesday reached 195, and that 500 others were wounded. The death toll of the fighting in the city and other parts of Iraq has soared to more than 300, according to sources in the health ministry.
Meanwhile, Staffan di Mistura, the UN Special Envoy to Iraq, in remarks to KUNA, called for lifting the curfew temporarily to allow UN teams send necessary supplies to the residential areas where civilians were running out of necessities.
The UN agencies have prepared supplies for up to 70,000 families affected with the ongoing fighting. (pickup previous) mhg.rk KUNA 301305 Mar 08NNNN