Government officials and aides to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr were negotiating Friday to end the violent confrontations that have plagued the Shiite holy city of Najaf for the past nine days, the governor said. With the talks ongoing, the U.S. military said Friday morning it had suspended offensive operations against al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, who are holed up the city's vast cemetery and the Imam Ali shrine, one of the holiest sites to Shiite Muslims. "We are allowed to engage the enemy only in self defense and long enough to break contact," said Maj. Bob Pizzateli, executive officer for the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division. "That was a blanket order for everybody." He said the militia appeared to have stopped most attacks as well, and the city appeared quieter Friday, a day after the U.S. military announced it had begun a major offensive to rout the militants. "Hopefully the talks will go well and everything will be resolved peacefully," Pizzateli said. Najaf Gov. Adnan al-Zurufi said the talks were between Iraqi government officials and al-Sadr's representatives. National Security Adviser Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie traveled to Najaf on Thursday to participate in efforts to end the crisis. U.S. officials were not involved in the talks, al-Zurufi said. "So far we have been reaching solutions. There are opinions that have been agreed on and that would lead to a radical solution to the problem," he said without elaborating. Asked if he thought they would reach a cease-fire agreement, he said: "God willing."
