Iraq's Sadr tells fighters to observe truce

By Wisam Mohammed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr pulled back from confrontation with the government on Friday, asking his followers to continue to observe a shaky ceasefire and not to battle government troops.

Sadr, whose call for calm was read out in a major mosque in Baghdad, said a recent threat of "open war" was directed only at U.S. forces, not the Iraqi government.

His comments could ease some of the tension that has been simmering in Iraq since Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki cracked down on Sadr's Mehdi Army militia a month ago and threatened to ban his mass movement from provincial elections in October.

"You are the best who committed and were patient with the decision to cease fire, and were the most obedient to your leader. I wish you would continue your patience and your belief," said Sadr's statement.

"When we threatened 'open war' we meant a war against the occupier, not a war against our Iraqi brothers."

A Reuters correspondent heard the statement read out by a cleric during Friday prayers in Sadr's eastern Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City.

Many of Sadr's followers, who have been agitating for the ceasefire to be scrapped and say government and U.S. forces have used it to kill or arrest their members, were unhappy.

"We were disappointed by the statement," said Abu Yasir, a Mehdi Army commander. "We waited impatiently to end this ceasefire and this is the opposite of what we hoped."