Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.

Iraqi Authorities Regain Control of Diwaniyah
---------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?r=279&ctl=13B4096:A6F02AD83191E160F058DBD3B890246D9574F7DCC14957C0 Fierce clashes with
Shi'ite militiamen that claimed more than 70 lives Iraqi officials say
authorities have regained control of the southern city of Diwaniyah,
after fierce clashes with Shi'ite militiamen that claimed more than 70
lives.







An Iraqi policeman guards the road leading to Diwaniyah, 130
kilometers south of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday August 28, 2006

The office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says 23 government
soldiers and 50 gunmen were killed in the fighting Monday.  Several
civilians also were reported to have died.

The fighting ended after a deal was reached between officials and
Shi'ite militiamen loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Meanwhile, some 30 Iraqis were killed and a number of others wounded
in a fuel pipeline explosion near Diwaniyah.  The victims may have
been trying to syphon fuel at the time of the blast.

In Baghdad, police say they found the bodies of at least 20 people who
had been shot and dumped in the capital.

The U.S. military has reported the deaths of 10 American soldiers in
hostile action in Iraq since Sunday.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


.