By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has criticized the US military operation in Baghdad's Shia bastion of Sadr City, hours after the 26 suspected militants were killed in the capital's eastern neighbourhood.
Maliki Saturday also ordered the Iraqi Special Forces not to take part in any military operation without prior approval from Iraqi military command.
In a statement, Maliki said that his government "vehemently rejects any military operation by the Multi-National Forces in any Iraqi province or city without prior approval of the command of the Iraqi military forces or coordination with the command."
The statement also urged the Iraqi troops to abide by orders, made by the higher national authorities, and warned against launching attacks against civilians.
The Iraqi government would seek clarification from the Multi-National Forces about the operation that was carried out in the Sadr City neighborhood at dawn Sunday.
The US military said that 26 militants, believed to have ties with "Iranian terror network", were killed during raids on Baghdad's eastern neighbourhood of Sadr City during pre-dawn hours Saturday.
Sadr City is a stronghold of Mahdi Army militia loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
The US military frequently accuses Iran of providing Iraqi Shiite militia with weapons and parts for sophisticated armored-piercing bombs, which has been denied by Iran.
US and Iraqi security forces have staged a security plan in the capital since February 14 with an aim of putting rampant violence under control.