Baghdad: Iraq's hardline Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr today called for an end to fighting between the country's security forces and his Mahdi Army militia, a week after he warned of "open war" against the government.

"I call upon my brothers in the army, police and Jaish al-Mahdi (Mahdi Army) to stop the bloodshed," Sadr said in a statement read out at a Baghdad mosque during Friday prayers.

On April 19 he threatened to launch all-out war against the government amid continuing clashes between Shiite militiamen, mostly from his Mahdi Army, and US and Iraqi forces in Baghdad s Sadr City.

Sadr today said his threat was aimed at American forces.

"When we threatened an open war, it was meant against the occupation and not against our people," he said in the statement. "There will be no war between Sadrists and Iraqi brothers from any groups."

Sadr urged Iraqi security forces to "distance themselves from the occupiers."

"We want a government which is sovereign, and we reject any agreement between America and the Iraqi government. I urge the Iraqi army to be close to the people and far from the occupier," the cleric said.

US and Iraqi forces have fought fierce street battles in Sadr City with militants since March 25 when Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a crackdown in the southern city of Basra.

That operation triggered clashes in other Shiite areas. Since then at least 383 people have been killed in Sadr City, according to an AFP tally based on Iraqi and US figures.

Source : PTI