Iraq police urge media to leaveaNajaf

BAGHDAD, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- An Arab news channel said Sunday Iraqi police have urged journalists and media representatives to leave the southern Iraqi city of Najaf.

The Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite channel said Iraqi the warning indicated preparation for a wide scale raid on Najaf, which has seen 10 days of armed conflict between Iraqi and U.S. forces and the Shiite al-Mehdi militia, led by Moqtada al-Sadr.

Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said Saturday his government intends to resume military operations after negotiations with al-Sadr were unsuccessful.