Sadrists’ demonstration ends without incidents – BOC

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Friday’s demonstration staged by Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr’s loyalists to reject the security pact ended without any security incidents, according to the Baghdad Operations Command. “The peaceful demonstration staged by the Sadrists at 10:30 a.m. Friday has ended without any security incidents as the command adopted the necessary measures to protect the demonstrators,” BOC Chief Qassem Atta told IraqiNews.com. “The number of demonstrators is estimated at less than 10,000,” Atta added. The Iraqi parliament is now debating the items of the pact, also known as the status of forces agreement (SOFA), planned by the Iraqi government to sign with the United States in preparation for its forces’ withdrawal from Iraq. The Sadrists, who occupy 29 out of parliament’s 275 seats, object the agreement on the grounds that it “undermines Iraq’s sovereignty”. AmR (P) 1