As it collapsed, so did the government's control of Shiite cities in the south and much of the Kurdish north.

The city, mostly Shiite and ringed by checkpoints, has had less violence than other areas of Iraq.

Afterward, they made a pilgrimage to Qum, a Shiite holy city.

In the end, Baghdad would not become an entirely Shiite city.

He has gone to Najaf, the holy Shiite city, more than 10 times in the past year to court religious leaders there.

Mashhad is a Shiite holy city with shrines visited by several million Muslim pilgrims each year.

Basra is largely a Shiite Muslim city, although desert tribes live here as well.

Their tanks entered the southern, Shi'ite city of Diwaniya on 3 September 2006.

In Basra, the country's second-largest, predominantly Shiite city, one explosion after another echoed down the streets.

American officials said Iraq had targeted two Shiite holy cities for attacks.