Fierce clashes between Shiite militiamen and US and Iraqi forces in east Baghdad killed at least 45 people, the American military said Monday, amid new political efforts to end the bloodletting. Sunday's heaviest fighting in weeks came on a day when militiamen blasted Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone with rockets and mortars, taking advantage of a blinding dust storm that grounded US attack helicopters. The biggest clash in the daylong battles came at dusk Sunday when “a large group of criminals engaging with small-arms fire” attacked a security force checkpoint, a US military statement said. In Helsinki, Finland, representatives of rival factions in Iraq said Monday they agreed to renounce violence at talks facilitated by former peace negotiators in Northern Ireland and South Africa. The meeting brought together 36 participants, including senior Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish politicians, for three days of talks at a secret location in Finland. The talks were co-chaired by Martin McGuinness, a former IRA commander and Cyril Ramaphos.
