Thous – s gather in Mosul, dem – ing release of detainees – putting end to corruption.

NINEWA / IraqiNews.com: Thousands of demonstrators have gathered in central Mosul’s al-Ahrar (Liberals) Square over the past 24 hours, demanding release of detainees and putting an end to corruption, challenging a curfew imposed on the city, a Ninewa security source said.   “About 5,000 demonstrators have entered Mosul ’s al-Ahrar Square on Friday, despite attempts to prevent them to gather in the square, despite curfew imposed on the city since Thursday night,” the security source added.   Al-Ahrar Square in Mosul , the center of north Iraq ’s Ninewa Province , 405 km to the north of Baghdad , had witnessed a huge demonstration and sit-in gatherings over the past two weeks, including tribal chieftains, along with large numbers of others, among them chieftains, who arrived in Mosul to share in the sit-in gatherings.   The demonstrators are demanding the release of thousands of detainees, putting an end for corruption and rejection of the extension of U.S. troops presence in Iraq after the end of the current year that was part of a security agreement, signed between Baghdad and Washington at the end of 2008.   Mosul , the center of Ninewa Province , is 405 km to the north of Baghdad .   SKH (IT) 779