At least 12 Iraqis, including three children, have been reported killed in clashes between Shi'ite militiamen and British troops in the southern city of Amara.
Reports say Mehdi Army fighters belonging to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr clashed with British troops for about two hours, after they opened fire on a British base at around 4pm local time.
Najaf militiamen warned to leave shrine
Meanwhile in Najaf, Governor Adnan al-Zorfi said that Iraqi national guardsmen are ready to 'cleanse' the Imam Ali shrine of Shi'ite Muslim militiamen unless they leave of their own accord.
Dozens of guardsmen have been deployed beside US troops for the first time and have advanced to within 400 metres of the shrine.
Reporters said that the guardsmen were engaged in an exchange of fire with Mr Sadr's supporters.
The fighting erupted after US warplanes attacked rebel positions in the city overnight.
Iraq's Defence Minister Hazim al-Shalaan has warned Mr Sadr's followers that they have only hours left in which to surrender.
Ministers targeted in Baghdad
In the Iraqi capital, there have been two separate attacks targeting Iraqi ministers.
The Environment Minister Mishkat Moumin said she was not wounded in a suicide car bomb attack in Baghdad that killed four of her bodyguards.
In a separate incident, Education Minister Sami al-Mudhaffar also escaped unhurt when a roadside bomb exploded as his convoy passed.
Police said that one of his bodyguards was killed.
