In Iraq, at least six civilians have been reportedly killed in a US air strike on Basra. Iraqi police say the victims’ home was destroyed in the attack. Meanwhile, reports out of Hilla say US forces called in helicopter strikes earlier today. Both Basra and Hilla saw major fighting last week as US and Iraqi forces launched a crackdown on Shia fighters. More than 500 people were killed. In Baghdad, residents of the Shia neighborhood of Sadr City say they remain under siege.

Sadr City resident: “These masses that you see are living in this daily situation. It is so hard to transport the sick people to hospital. The masses that you see are only part of people that left early in the morning to work. We call for the government to find us a solution, or we will stage a sit-in. This time the sit-in will be terrible. It will be a sit-in, not fighting with weapons.”

Aid convoys have struggled to reach Sadr City residents despite an official end to the crackdown. An Iraqi Red Crescent spokesperson said food is growing scarce.

Iraqi Red Crescent spokesperson: “These families made an appeal to all humanitarian agencies because of the military operations that happened in these areas, which led to the sealing off of these areas. This led to the consumption of all the food stuffs.”