Fresh fighting broke out in Iraq (news - web sites)'s Najaf on Tuesday, with explosions and gunfire coming from the heart of the holy city where militiamen loyal to a radical Shi'ite Muslim cleric are dug in, a Reuters witness said.
He said U.S. warplanes were flying overhead while smoke was rising from near the city's ancient cemetery, a haven for fighters from Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army who have been battling American marines since last Thursday.
The clashes erupted just after 8.00 a.m. (12 a.m. EDT) following a night of intermittent gunfire.
Sadr on Monday defied demands from Iraq's interim government that his militia pull out of Najaf.
U.S. marines say they have killed 360 of Sadr's loyalists in the city since last Thursday. The fighting is part of a radical Shi'ite uprising that has hit several other Iraqi cities, including a predominantly Shi'ite district of Baghdad.
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