Baghdad: Six people, including two children, have died as clashes made their way from Sadr city to another district in Baghdad on Sunday, officials said.

The fighting erupted soon after Moqtada Al Sadr warned of “open war” if the government does not stop a US-Iraqi crackdown against his followers.

Police and hospital officials said six people, four men and two boys ages 8 and 10, were killed in fighting in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City after midnight.

US forces had no immediate comment.