Their appearance before Congress comes while about 1,000 US and Iraqi forces are engaged in fierce fighting in Baghdad against Shiite militias linked to Muqtada al-Sadr. On Monday, hundreds of Iraqis fled their homes in Sadr City to escape the fighting, which has killed more than thirty Iraqis since Sunday. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has warned Sadr that he would be banned from participating in elections unless his militia is disbanded.