Occupation soldiers kill protesters in Iraq
Sunday 04 April 2004, 9:42 Makka Time, 6:42 GMT
Al-Sadr's supporters promised massive rallies on Sunday
Spanish occupation soldiers have shot dead at least 20 Iraqi
demonstrators and wounded more than 100 others in protests supporting
Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The toll is expected to rise, reported Aljazeera's correspondent
Muhammad al-Sharif on Sunday.
Some 15,000 of al-Sadr's supporters staged a peaceful protest on
Sunday heading towards the Spanish headquarters in Najaf, reported
al-Sharif.
Spanish troops and helicopters opened fire randomly at the protesters,
he added. But some witnesses said demonstrators threw stones at
military vehicles.
Occupation forces also fired at journalists at the scene, including
Aljazeera's crew, injuring al-Sharif.
Al-Sadr's office has issued a statement calling on supporters to end
protests and declare jihad to take up arms against occupation forces,
reported Aljazeera.
Iraqi police fired shots at pro-al-Sadr demonstrations in central
Baghdad, leaving at least two people injured, reported Aljazeera
correspondent Abd al-Adhem Muhammad. Protesters were marching towards
a police headquarters in Saadun Street.
Members of the Mahdi Army
parade in al-Sadr city
There have been daily protests for the past week over the occupation's
suspension of the al-Hawza newspaper, a pro-al-Sadr publication which
the US occupation authorities said was inciting violence.
Mosques linked to al-Sadr had earlier called for a general strike.
Al-Sadr is a fierce opponent of the occupation and US-appointed Iraqi
Governing Council. His support is mainly among impoverished Iraqis
living in al-Sadr city in Baghdad, formerly known as Saddam City.
Green Zone
US occupation authorities had feared the protests could turn violent
and announced they were shutting the entrances to their sprawling
headquarters better known as the Green Zone from 5am to 12pm.
"With the concurrence of Ambassador Bremer, travel outside the Green
Zone from 0500 to 1200hrs on Sunday 4 April 2004 will be prohibited
due to large demonstrations at all Green Zone check points," the
advisory read.
"These demonstrations have a very high probability of turning
violent."
Bearing out the occupation's worries, Shia mosques around Baghdad
called for al-Sadr's followers to turn out in force on Sunday.
US occupation soldiers are on
high alert in Baghdad
"Loyal people of Iraq, in protest of the detention of religious
clerics by the occupation forces, the decision has been taken to
general strike at all government institutions and schools, so we call
on you to answer this call," the loudspeakers blared from mosques.
"Mahdi army members should immediately head to Mosque Muhsin al-Hakim
in al-Sadr city," in reference to militiamen in support of al-Sadr.
Mosque attacked
Meanwhile, a bomb exploded outside a small mosque in the town of
Baquba, north of Baghdad, early on Sunday, destroying most of the
building and wounding at least one person, witnesses said.
A Reuters television cameraman at the scene said al-Rasul al-Adham
mosque, predominantly attended by Shia Muslims, had collapsed from the
force of the explosion, which went off after morning prayers when the
building was mostly empty.
It is not the first time a mosque has been attacked in the town.
In January, five people were killed and more than 30 wounded when a
bomb exploded outside another Shia-dominated mosque in the centre of
Baquba as Friday prayers were ending.
The town, which lies about 65km north of Baghdad, is inhabited by
Sunni and Shia Muslims and has seen regular unrest over the past year,
with fighters opposing occupation, attacking US forces and Iraqi
police.
US marines killed
In related news, two US marines were killed in separate attacks west
of Baghdad, the US military said in a statement on Sunday.
The army said one marine was killed in action on Saturday and the
other died on Sunday from wounds received in a separate engagement on
Saturday.
The military declined to give any further information on the
incidents, citing security reasons.
The area west of Baghdad, including the town of Falluja, is a hotbed
of anti-occupation activity. Earlier this week, four US contractors
driving through the town were killed and their corpses burnt and
dragged through the streets by a crowd.
The same day, five US soldiers were killed in the same area when a
roadside bomb detonated under their armoured vehicle.
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