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WOLF BLITZER: Police
imposed a strict curfew tonight in the southern
province of Najaf, where a bloody battle this week
pitted Iraqi and U.S. forces against hundreds of
gunmen from what Iraqi officials described as a
Messianic killer cult. We're now learning new details
of that clash.
And joining us now in Baghdad, our correspondent,
Michael Ware. You know, we've seen this phone video
now of these bodies from that battle in Najaf the
other day. I know you're investigating, Michael. What
went on?
It's very confusing. The only thing we know for sure,
there are a lot of dead people there.
What are you picking up?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, what we
definitely know is that on Sunday just gone, there
was a major engagement, a major battle just north of
the holy city of Najaf, south of the capital,
Baghdad.
Now, according to the Iraqi government, at the center
of this battle was this apocalyptic death cult. I
mean, this group who believe that a messiah was among
them and had returned.
The government claims that part of their plan, that
this sect's intention was to enter the holy city and
assassinate the Shia religious sect leadership. They
believed that this was part of a prophecy.
Now, this is what the government says, and they say
that this group of about 600 or 700 strong had taken
land north of the holy city, dug entrenchments, gun
positions, they had heavy weapons and that
essentially they were approaching zero hour in their
deadly plan and government forces intervened.
Beyond that, what we actually do know is that a
battle did take place, that government forces did
engage irregular forces north of the city. We also
know that Iraqi Army units with American advisers
attached became involved. They were quickly
enveloped. The American advisers called in two Apache
helicopter gunships, one of which went down during
the fight. As the battle raged throughout the
evening, F- 16s were called in. A-10 and AC-130
gunships and aircraft were also called in. A Stryker
unit and some infantry from the American forces,
several hundred troops in total, were also brought
in.
Now, according to U.S. officials, at the end of this
blazing battle, there was at least 250 dead and
they've hauled in 400 detainees or more so far.
Now, the Americans, however, are a little bit more
cautious about just who they were fighting. Military
intelligence -- military spokesmen describe them as a
Shia breakaway group.
Now, they're saying the jury is still out on whether
it was actually this apocalyptic cult, although some
officers refer to it as a David Koresh-like
organization, the American cult leader in Waco, Texas
some years ago.
However, there's other stories, that this is a
faction upon faction among the Shia militias; that
this was a massacre of anti-Iranian forces; that this
was a tribal dispute.
Basically, at the end of the day, Wolf, no one saw
this battle. No one really knows how it began. And
the facts are still emerging from the ruins of this
engagement.
BLITZER: I know you'll stay on top of the story for
us, as you always do.
Michael, thanks very much.