NAJAF, Aug 27: Shia religious leader Moqtada Sadr and his Mehdi Army handed over the keys to the Imam Ali shrine on Friday after Sadr agreed a peace initiative by top Shia leader, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

The five points, set out in a document signed by Sadr and which AFP has obtained a copy of, are:

1 - The cities of Najaf and Kufa must be disarmed and all armed elements in these cities must leave and never return.

2 - The Iraqi police are responsible for restoring security and peace in the two cities.

3 - The US-led multinational force must withdraw.

4 - The Iraqi government must pay compensation to those who have suffered during the crisis.

5 - All parties and political, social and ideological movements must join in a process leading to general elections and total sovereignty, and must create an environment favourable to this process. -AFP