KUFA (AFP) -- Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his Mahdi Army militia to prolong its ceasefire for a further six months on Friday.

The decision to keep the force’s black-clad gunmen off the streets was welcomed by the U.S. military.
Shiite imams in mosques across south and central Iraq opened sealed letters from their populist movement’s leader and read his statement to supporters after Muslim weekly prayers six months after the truce was first declared.
“I prolong the freeze in the activities of the Mahdi Army until the 15th day of the month of Shabaan,” Sadr said, using the Islamic calendar to indicate that the ceasefire will continue at least until August 16.
“I cannot support the crimes of criminals, nor the sins of sinners, and I created this army on the principles of the tradition of the Prophet,” according to the letter read by the imam at Sadr’s mosque in Kufa, Assaad al-Nasiri.
Sadr did not appear publicly at Friday prayers, and it is not clear where he is now based.