UP TO NINE PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN CLASHES BETWEEN U.S.-LED TROOPS AND THE MEHDI ARMY MILITIA OF SHI'ITE CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR IN EASTERN BAGHDAD EARLY ON FRIDAY, POLICE AND WITNESSES SAID, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. AN INTERIOR MINISTRY SOURCE SAID THE FIGHTING ERUPTED WHEN U.S. AND IRAQI FORCES BACKED BY HELICOPTERS RAIDED HOUSES IN THE SLUM DISTRICT OF SADR CITY, A STRONGHOLD OF SADR'S MEHDI ARMY AT 2 A.M. (2200 GMT). HE SAID THE TARGET OF THE RAID WAS A SENIOR MEHDI ARMY LEADER ACCUSED OF MASTERMINDING A NUMBER OF KIDNAPPINGS. THE INTERIOR MINISTRY SOURCE SAID NINE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 31 WOUNDED. FOUR HOUSES WERE ALSO DESTROYED. A POLICE SOURCE PUT THE DEATH TOLL AT SEVEN AND SAID THE CASUALTIES WERE ALL MILITIAMEN. THE U.S. MILITARY SAID IN A STATEMENT THE RAID HAD BEEN BY IRAQI SOLDIERS, AIMED AT CAPTURING AN INSURGENT LEADER RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS DEATHS. "THE FORCES WERE IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED BY INSURGENTS AND A FIREFIGHT ENSUED," THE MILITARY SAID IN A STATEMENT, ADDING THAT NO IRAQI OR U.S. TROOPS HAD BEEN WOUNDED OR KILLED IN THE OPERATION.
