Coalition forces have agreed to pull out of most of Najaf, leaving Iraqi security forces in control of the Shia holy city under an agreement reached on Thursday.

The coalition has suspended offensive operations after a deal was struck with insurgent Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Iraqi security forces will enter the city and take control of strategic buildings currently held by al-Sadr's militia, said coalition spokesperson Dan Senor.

Mouwafak al-Rubaie
Mouwafak al-Rubaie

The deal came after members of Iraq's Governing Council went to Najaf on Thursday to work out an agreement to end the stand-off with U.S. forces in the holy city.

National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie had earlier Thursday publicized a statement from al-Sadr offering to withdraw his fighters from the city and hand over control to Iraqi police.

A lasting agreement to cease fighting in Najaf would be a big step toward ending a Shia militia uprising in the south of the country that threatens to derail the handover of power to an Iraqi government on June 30.




Fighting around Najaf, Kufa and Karbala has posed a major challenge to the U.S.-led occupation. Hundreds of insurgents, U.S. and coalition soldiers have been killed.

It has also threatened some of Shia Islam's holiest sites and led to calls from all sides to agree a ceasefire.

It was unclear what al-Sadr got in return for agreement. He had demanded that the U.S.suspend murder charges against him.

Governing Council members Salama al-Khafaji, Ahmad Chalabi and Abdul-Karim Mahoud al-Mohammedawi had travelled to Najaf on Thursday, saying they would stage a sit-in at the Sahla mosque in nearby Kufa until the Americans leave.

U.S. soldiers had raided the mosque last weekend, seizing weapons and ammunition stored there by al-Sadr's fighters

The agreement followed Wednesday's arrest in Najaf of Sayid Ryad al-Nuri, a key aide and brother-in-law of al-Sadr.