Millions of pilgrims are streaming into the Iraqi city of Karbala ahead of one of the holiest religious ceremonies on the Shi'ite Muslim calendar -Arbaeen.

Iraqi radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has extended for another six months a cease-fire between his Mahdi army militia and U.S. and Iraqi forces. Daniel Schearf reports from the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

The U.S. military says coalition forces have captured an alleged Shi'ite militia leader and three other suspects during a raid south of Baghdad.

U.S. and Iraqi special forces clashed with suspected Shi'ite militiamen in western Baghdad Thursday. Residents say at least 14 people were killed.

At least four people were killed in fresh violence today in the Iraqi city of Karbala, where tens of thousands of Shi'a are taking part in a pilgrimage.

Iran is using the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah as a "proxy" to arm Shiite militants in Iraq and Tehran's elite Quds force helped militants carry out a January attack in Karbala in which five Americans died, a U.S. general said Monday.

Radical Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr met with his top lieutenants today to discuss a new direction for his Shi'ite movement after his return to public life following a seven-month seclusion.

The political movement of Shi'ite cleric and militia leader Muqtada al-Sadr says its six ministers will leave the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki today. Al-Sadr's bloc said the move is an attempt to pressure al-Maliki to draw up a timetable for U.S. troops to leave the country.

U.S. forces have launched an air strike in the central Iraqi city of Al-Diwaniyah today, as clashes between security forces and Shi'ite militiamen continued for a second day. There was no immediate information on casualties from today's second day of fighting in the central Iraqi city of Al-Diwaniyah, 180 kilometers south of Baghdad.