A conference is being held in Iraq today aimed at finding ways of tackling sectarian violence.
The conference will bring together Kurdish, Shia, and Sunni politicians from the ruling coalition in Baghdad.
Members of Saddam Hussein's former Ba'ath party - who have been living abroad since the US-led invasion in 2003 - will also attend.
Hours before the conference was due to open in the heavily fortified Green Zone, Iraqi army special forces backed by US troops killed one militant and arrested six people during raids against a death squad leader in the Baghdad Shia stronghold of Sadr City, according to the US military.
The military said the target, who appears to have evaded capture, was believed to be leading a group of 100 militants who conducted kidnappings, killings and rocket attacks against some neighbourhoods from Sadr City.
