Thousands in anti-US protest in Iraqi capital
The protest took place in the country's capital, Baghdad
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Saturday, 18, Oct 2008 05:42
Thousands of Iraqis have taken part in a demonstration against the future presence of US forces in Iraq.
The rally called by anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was in protest against negotiations on a pact between the US and Iraqi governments that would allow US forces to stay in the country until the end of 2011.
Presently, US forces are in the country under a UN mandate which allows them to stay in the middle eastern country until the end of the year. The terms of the proposed pact will require US forces to end patrols by mid-2009 and would also permit Iraqi courts to try US personnel for serious crimes.
Protestors chanted slogans such as "Yes, yes Iraq! No, no to the occupation!" and "Get out occupier!" during the rally.
Speaking about the protest, a government spokesman Qassim Moussawi told the Reuters news agency: "They have permission from the prime minister and the interior minister to hold a peaceful demonstration.
"It is a part of democracy that people can protest freely, but we hope that they will understand the security measures that we have taken to protect them," he added.
A ceasefire agreement signed with the anti-US cleric Mr Sadr in February has been praised by analysts as a move that significantly improved security in the country.