Al-Arabiya television reports it has identified the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and the network broadcast his photograph. The Dubai-based network, citing an Iraqi police official, said the real name of Abu Omar Al-Baghdadi, who allegedly heads the Islamic State of Iraq, is Hamid Dawoud Al-Zawi. Originally from Haditha, Al-Baghdadi served in the Iraqi army under Saddam Hussein, then joined Al-Qaeda in 2003, the police official told Al-Arabiya. The US has described al-Baghdadi as a fictitious character. Meanwhile in Baghdad, a rocket slammed into Baghdad's city hall and another hit a downtown park as more frightened civilians fled the Shiite militia stronghold where US-led forces are locked in fierce street battles. The American push in the Sadr City district - launched Tuesday after an Iraqi government crackdown on armed Shiite groups began in late March - is trying to weaken the militia grip in a key corner of Baghdad and disrupt rocket and mortar strikes on the US-protected Green Zone. But fresh salvos of rockets from militants arced over the city, wounding at least 16 people and drawing US retaliation that escalated civilian panic and flight to safer areas. One rocket - apparently aimed at the Green Zone - blasted the nearby city hall. Three 122 mm rockets hit parts of central Baghdad, including destroying some playground equipment in a park. An Iraqi police station was damaged by a rocket that failed to detonate, the US military said. US forces used air strikes and tank fire against suspected militia positions following a rocket attack late Monday in Sadr City, the military said. At least six people were killed. An attack aircraft later fired two Hellfire missiles and killed three militants who were planting a roadside bomb in the Shiite neighborhood of New Baghdad on Tuesday, the military added. At least four civilians were killed in the clashes, hospital officials said. The latest battles came as the Pentagon announced plans to cut US troop strength by about 3,500 toward its goal of withdrawing the bulk of its ´surge? forces sent last year into Baghdad and surrounding areas. More families sought refuge in neighborhoods away from the fighting, which showed no sign of easing. A senior member of the municipal council in Sadr City estimated 8,000 families had fled the teeming slum since the battles began six weeks ago. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of security reasons. The figure could not be independently verified. Mulkiya Methour, a woman wearing a black head-to-toe chador, said many families had left Sadr City. “They fled bombardment. Their houses were destroyed and sewage floated into their homes,” she said. For Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the crackdown is a test of his determination to exert control. He has vowed to disarm all militants even as he faces accusations from al-Sadr's supporters of committing crimes against his own people. Hassan Al-Rubaie, a Sadrist lawmaker, suspended his seat in parliament to protest the fighting in Sadr City. He said he held the government of Al-Maliki responsible for the fighting. Al-Sadr's followers control 30 of the 275 parliament seats.
