Sadrists rally marks anniversary of fall of Baghdad

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Thousands of Sadrists on Thursday staged a massive demonstration in the Iraqi capital Baghdad demanding the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. The angry Shiite men protested the U.S. military presence six years after the Iraqi capital fell to American troops. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on all Iraqis to turn out for the protest at Firdous Square, where Saddam Hussein’s statue was toppled on April 9, 2003. Light rain fell as the protesters were gathering. Streets around Firdous were closed for traffic, as were Baghdad’s bridges, while hundreds of Sadrists were making their way on foot to the square, where religious and nationalists songs blared from mosque loudspeakers. The protesters waved Iraqi banners and carried pictures of al-Sadr, chanting: “No, no occupation” and “get out occupant.” Huge Iraqi flags decorating the square hung drenched from the heavy rain that had pelted the city Thursday morning. Iraqi police guarded the demonstration but kept away from the main square. Armored Iraqi and American vehicles were parked a few blocks away. SH (S)/SR 1