……Update……

Reported, Abu Al-Khasib another city close to Basra, now under Mahdi Army control, Iraqi government calls special forces from Karbala led by Maliki’s “brothers in law” to move to Basra.

…….End update…..

Just reported from Alwasatonline reporter in Basra, Mahdi Army managed to arrest 17 American soldiers, and seizes 7 hammer military vehicles, because of these developments the Iraqi government offered to negotiates with MA but Muqtada Al-Sadr refused any negotiations, also 250 Iraqi soldiers gave themselves up to Mahdi Army.

Key bridge, connecting Basra city to Al-Kurnah is destroyed by Mahdi Army.

Sotaliraq reported that Maliki refused to meet Basra’s mayor “Mohammad Al-Walili [from Al-Fadhilah Party], the mayor threaten if he removed from his position as mayor he will burn all the oil wells around Basra.

There is also reports about American warplanes involvement in the fights, and the Green Zone was bombed again at 8 O’clock p.

There are fighting in Al-Shurta neighborhood in Baghdad in the Karkh part [East, across the river]