5 Iraqis killed in clashes near shrine
AFP, Karbala
Five Iraqis have been killed and nine wounded in nearly 24 hours of heavy clashes in the holy city of Karbala, medics said yesterday. "The bodies of three civilians have been brought to the hospital since Tuesday evening and nine wounded have been admitted," said Ali Ardawi, chief administrator at the casualty department of Karbala hospital. He added that three of the wounded were in a serious condition. Later, he told AFP that two other bodies had been brought to the hospital morgue. An AFP correspondent said heavy fighting between the militia of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr and coalition troops rocked the central Abbas Street near the holy shrine of Imam Abbas from 5:00 pm (1300 GMT) to 8:00 pm.
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