An Iraqi Army soldier uses a flashlight to signal cars as a sandstorm envelops central Baghdad, 27 April 2008

Iraqi officials say insurgents have fired a volley of rockets or mortar rounds into Baghdad's Green Zone during a heavy sandstorm.

At least eight rounds hit the heavily guarded area, which houses the Iraqi government and the U.S. embassy. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

An injured Iraqi man is taken to hospital in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City, 26 Apr 2008

Earlier, Iraqi officials said at least eight people were killed and 42 wounded in fighting overnight and early Sunday in eastern Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. Police and hospital officials say a woman and two children were among those killed during the clashes between Shi'ite Mahdi Army militiamen and U.S. and Iraqi forces.

The U.S. military said it tracked and killed insurgents in three incidents using drone aircraft and attack helicopters.

In other news, hard-line Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has rejected conditions set by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for an end to the fighting between his militia and Iraqi security forces. A spokesman for the Sadr movement accused Maliki of wanting to resolve the problem by force and not dialogue.

Last week, Maliki set four conditions for stopping the military crackdown on Mahdi Army militia. The prime minister called on militants to hand over weapons and stop interfering in politics. He also demanded that they hand over all fighters wanted by the government.

Militias loyal to Sadr have been battling coalition and Iraqi forces in Baghdad's Sadr City district since late March. More than 300 people have been killed in those clashes.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.