An arms depot belonging to militiamen loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr exploded near a mosque on Monday in the southern city of Kufa, witnesses said.
The witnesses said several ambulances rushed to the area after the arms storage facility exploded. Kufa is a stronghold for Sadr, who reached a truce last week with US forces in the town and the nearby holy Shia city of Najaf after challenging them for months. His forces and US troops have withdrawn from both areas.