Cease-fire reported in Sadr City, offensive begins against al-Qaida in Mosul

Shiite groups brokered a reported cease-fire Saturday with militants fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces in Baghdad's Sadr City as the country's army launched an offensive in the northern city of Mosul against al-Qaida's main bastion in Iraq.

The cease-fire will go into effect Sunday, said Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, an aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The cease-fire may not necessarily end the seven-week old clashes in Sadr City, the stronghold of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, as U.S. military has blamed clashes on breakaway groups.

The bulk of the 60,000-strong Mahdi Army is not believed to have participated in the clashes, instead adhering to a general …