Richard Natonski, who is in charge of the U.S. Marines here, had with a group from Amarah.

CNN: Franken

We do know that there was some fighting in Amarah last night before we were permitted to go in.

CNN: Franken

Amarah, some 320 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Baghdad and Diwaniyah, 30 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, are heavily Shiite and normally comparatively peaceful.

NPR: 5 Car Bombs Kill 26 In Shiite Areas Across Iraq

Amarah is a very large town of about 340, 000 people.

CNN: Franken