Iraq's government today agreed a truce with the movement of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to end weeks of fighting in Sadr City between Shia militia and security forces, officials said.
The truce could end violence that has killed several hundred people, trapped the two million residents of Sadr City in a battle zone and prompted aid workers to warn of a humanitarian crisis.
But it is unclear how much control the anti-American Sadr has over many of the militiamen who claim allegiance to him in Sadr City, stronghold of his Mehdi Army.
"Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has approved this agreement," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said. "The Iraqi government calls on all parties to commit to this deal, to be calm and show self-restraint."
The US military said it was not aware of any agreement.
Sadr spokesman Salah al-Ubaidi told Reuters an agreement had been made between the Sadr movement's bloc in parliament and the ruling Shia alliance, called the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA).
He said he expected the pact to take effect either tonight or tomorrow with a total halt to all Iraqi military activity for four days. He did not mention the US military.
"The main aim of the deal is to solve the crisis in Sadr City," Ubaidi said.
Gunmen have been battling US and Iraqi forces nearly every night in the area since late March, when Maliki launched a crackdown on militias. Militants have also fired hundreds of rockets and mortars at the Green Zone government and diplomatic area in central Baghdad.
Mr Ubaidi said that after the four-day ceasefire, Iraqi forces could enter Sadr City and detain anyone they wanted as long as they had an arrest warrant. He said the agreement called for aid to be delivered to residents and roads opened.