U.S. and British Forces Battle Shiite Rebels in 4 Iraqi Cities

BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 15 — American-led occupation forces battled with insurgents and militias loyal to a rebel Shiite cleric in at least four cities in Iraq over a 24-hour period ending Saturday, killing at least 38 Iraqis in what one American official said was part of a "minor uprising."

Brig Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the deputy director for occupation forces, said that in the 24-hour period, 14 Iraqi militiamen had been killed in the poor Shiite Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City after American forces were attacked with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small arms fire in at least four or five operations.

"There was no one large battle," said General Kimmitt.

The American military spokesman's office in Baghdad said two American soldiers died after separate mortar and sniper attacks. A third was killed in a road accident, it said. Military officials said that one soldier who was wounded two days ago in fighting in Karbala has died of his injuries.

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