Bombings and shootings killed at least 14 people across Iraq on Sunday, as Iraqi troops waged a fresh battle with gunmen in Baghdad.
Hassan al-Suneid, a key member of the ruling Dawa Party, said the Iraqi leader had committed 20,000 troops to the operation that would call upon American soldiers and airpower only when needed. Al-Suneid, who is also a member of parliament, said the new drive to free Baghdad from the grip of sectarian violence would focus initially on Sunni strongholds in western Baghdad.
On Saturday, the Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki told the nation the Iraqi army operation in Baghdad would continue "until all goals are achieved and security is ensured for all citizens."
"We are fully aware that implementing the plan will lead to some harassment for all beloved Baghdad residents, but we are confident they fully understand the brutal terrorist assault we all face."
Also Sunday, the U.S. military announced that 88 suspects were captured in American and Iraqi raids last week, and a weapons cache used for assembling improvised explosive devices was destroyed. Sixty-nine of those suspects were released after questioning, the military said in a statement.
