Battle of Karbala (2007)
The Battle of Karbala began on the night of August 27, 2007 and involved fighting between the Mahdi Army, who provided security for the pilgrims[3], and police (who were largely members of the Badr Organization) in Karbala, Iraq.
Hundreds of Thousands of Shia pilgrims gathered in the city for the annual festival of Mid-Sha'ban. Security was high as pilgrims have been killed in previous years by suicide bombers.
[edit] Battle
Shooting first started on August 27. The government reacted by deploying more troops to the area.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki imposed a curfew on the morning of August 29 as fighting continued. Soon after, he claimed that the situation was under control.[4] The curfew ordered pilgrims to leave their devotions early and ultimately failed to stop a third bout of shooting in the evening.
[edit] Trial
The head of the Mahdi Army in Karbala, Ali Sharia, was arrested and tried over the violence. In August 2008 he was convicted and sentenced to death.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ "Toll rises in Karbala fighting", Al Jazeera, August 28, 2007.
- ^ Aswat Aliraq
- ^ Iraq Militias Fighting For Supremacy Time.
- ^ "Iraqi PM orders curfew in Karbala", BBC, August 29, 2007.
- ^ Iraq militia chief condemned to death for Karbala killings, Agence France Presse, Aug. 30, 2008, accessed on Aug. 30, 2008
