Baghdad: The death toll in clashes between the military and Shiite rebels escalated on Saturday, with health workers saying two hospitals are overflowing with the wounded.
At least 133 bodies and 647 wounded have been brought to five hospitals in eastern Baghdad over the past five days, eastern Baghdad's health chief Ali Bustan said on Saturday.
More than 200 people have been reported killed and hundreds wounded in the five days of fighting across southern Iraq and Baghdad since a crackdown on militants in Basra.
In Basra, where the main fighting has raged for days, witnesses said coalition warplanes had bombed for a second straight day. Police said eight people were killed and seven others were wounded in an incident.
Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki has announced he will fight the militants in Basra "until the end". He gave the Mehdi Army until April 28 to surrender. They remained defiant.
"We will fight on and never give up our weapons," said Mehdi Army deputy military commander in Basra Abu Hassan Al Daraji. "We will not turn over a single bullet."
Baghdad remains under curfew
Baghdad remained under curfew for the second straight day on Friday as authorities battled to contain raging clashes between Iraqi and US troops and Shiite gunmen.
The city's main roads were deserted since Thursday night when the capital's military command imposed a curfew till 5am on Saturday morning.
Dozens of people have been killed in Baghdad and more than 180 countrywide in clashes since Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki ordered his troops to crack down on "lawless gangs" in the southern city of Basra on Tuesday, according to official reports.
