Iraq government declares complete curfew for capital

BAGHDAD, Iraq The government of Iraq declared an immediate complete curfew for the capital city Friday night through Sunday morning, the prime minister's office said.

Haider Majeed, spokesman for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said the Cabinet had decided no vehicles or pedestrians would be permitted in Baghdad during that period of time. He refused to say why the curfew was being put in place.

A source at the Interior Ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk with the press, said "intelligence information on the security situation made a curfew necessary." He refused further details.

From the International Herald Tribune