Maliki said in Baghdad the Iraqi military operations sent a strong message to militias "who oppose democracy," noting the Iraqi forces targeted several militias beyond the Mahdi Army, the military wing of the Sadrist Movement.

Maliki, a Shiite, said authority in Basra fell into the hands of militia, prompting a military response that pitted Iraqi national security forces against the Shiite forces of the Mahdi Army, Voices of Iraq said.

Moqtada Sadr, the Shiite cleric behind the Mahdi Army and the Sadrists, ordered his forces to lay down their weapons and cooperate with the Iraqi government following a meeting with Iraqi delegates in the Iranian city of Qom.

An Iraqi national security council issued an order Saturday calling on the military wings of all political parties in Iraq to disband. Maliki issued a direct order Monday calling on Sadr to disband his Mahdi Army or face a ban from participating in the political process, including provincial council elections scheduled for October.

Aqeel Abdul-Hussein with the Sadrist Party in Basra, however, accused the Maliki government Tuesday of launching a "political liquidation" campaign against the Sadrist bloc.

Abdul-Hussein said Iraqi officials fired several Sadrist officials from their administrative posts in Basra, including ports and transport officials.