Al-Sadr orders his six ministers to resign

The men said the order came in a statement from al-Sadr to his ministers asking them to 8220;announce your withdrawal from the government.8221; Al-Sadr8217;s followers hold six positions in the 37-member Cabinet.

Such a pullout by the very bloc that put Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in office could collapse his already perilously weak government. The threat comes two months into a US effort to pacify Baghdad in order to give al-Maliki8217;s government room to function.

Meanwhile, six bombs exploded in predominantly Shiite sections of the capital on Sunday, killing at least 45 people in a renewal of sectarian carnage that set back the US push to pacify Baghdad.

North of Baghdad, two British helicopters crashed after an apparent mid-air collision, killing two service members, UK officials said.