Iraqi politician shot dead by US soldier

A senior ally of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was killed by a US soldier during a joint Iraqi raid in southern Iraq.

A senior ally of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was killed by a US soldier on Wednesday during a joint Iraqi raid in southern Iraq, local police and Sadr supporters said.

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Sadr's office told the agency that US and Iraqi soldiers raided the home of Sahib al-Ameri, president of a pro-Sadr political foundation, in the holy Shiite city of Najaf overnight and shot him dead.

The US military said a coalition soldier killed a man, whom it said was implicated in a recent bomb attack on a Najaf police chief, after a suspect fled to the roof of a house and aimed an assault rifle at an Iraqi soldier.

"The coalition soldier observed the man's hostile intent against the Iraqi soldier and shot the man, neutralising the threat and resulting in his death," it said in a statement, without naming the suspect.