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Basra: State of emergency declared

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki declared Wednesday a month-long state of emergency in the southern city of Basra, vowing to confront troublemakers in the oil-rich city with "an iron fist."

Al-Maliki is visiting the southern Iraqi city, which had been relatively calm since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

However, violence blamed on sectarian tensions and fighting over control of the city's oil resources has erupted in recent weeks.

"We are hearing of security breaches which we fear may escalate and worsen," the prime minister said, according to a translation from the Associated Press.

"We shall hit with an iron fist the heads of the gangs or those who threaten security. And we shall request all security departments to draw an effective and quick plan to achieve security to a standard which would give citizens the feel of security."

Basra, a mostly Shiite Muslim city about 245 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad, is under the control of the British military, part of the U.S.-led coalition.

In the past month, nine British soldiers have died in Basra -- five of them in a May 6 helicopter crash which sparked fighting between Iraqis and British troops.

The helicopter was apparently shot down.

Britons were shocked to see jubilant Iraqis pelting British troops with stones, hurling firebombs and shouting slogans in support of a radical Shiite Muslim cleric, after the crash.

The ensuing melee left at least four Iraqis dead, according to hospital officials.

-- CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report

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