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Sadr cancels Baghdad anti-US demo Baghdad to impose vehicle curfew
(about 4 hours later)
Influential Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr says he has postponed a mass rally against the US presence in Iraq five years on from Saddam Hussein's fall. A one-day vehicle curfew will be imposed over Baghdad on Wednesday, which marks five years since the city was captured by American forces.
The protest had been due in Baghdad on Wednesday and was set to have been one million strong, the Shia cleric said. Cars and motorcycles will be banned from the capital's streets between 0500 and midnight (0200 to 2100 GMT), the Iraqi government said.
Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr earlier called off plans for a mass rally against the US presence in Iraq on the anniversary.
A statement published online said he feared attacks on those taking part.A statement published online said he feared attacks on those taking part.
The move comes a day after Iraq's prime minister threatened to exclude the Sadr movement from politics unless it disbanded its Mehdi Army militia. Wednesday marks the fifth anniversary of the symbolic moment when US troops pulled down a large statue of late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in central Baghdad.
Mr Sadr also threatened to call off a Mehdi Army ceasefire which has kept curbs on the level of violence in Iraq since last year. 'Spare their blood'
"If necessary the ceasefire will be lifted in order to implement our aims, ideology, religion, principles, nationhood," the statement said, adding that such a move would come in a separate communique. A one-million-strong protest had been planned to mark the date, Mr Sadr said.
In recent weeks, Mr Sadr's followers have clashed with Iraqi government troops and US forces in southern Iraq and Baghdad as the government tried to impose a crackdown on militias. He also threatened to suspend a truce - credited with helping curb violence levels in Iraq since last year - by his powerful Mehdi Army militia.
Wednesday's march would have coincided with the fifth anniversary of the symbolic moment when US troops pulled down a large statue of late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in central Baghdad. "If necessary the ceasefire will be lifted in order to implement our aims, ideology, religion, principles, nationhood," the statement said.
On Monday, Iraq's prime minister threatened to exclude the radical Shia cleric's movement from politics unless it disbanded the Mehdi Army.
In recent weeks, Mr Sadr's followers have clashed with Iraqi government troops and US forces in southern Iraq and Baghdad, as the government tried to crack down on militias.
"I call those beloved Iraqi people who wish to demonstrate against the occupation to postpone their march, out of my fear for them and my concern to spare their blood," Mr Sadr said about the proposed demonstration."I call those beloved Iraqi people who wish to demonstrate against the occupation to postpone their march, out of my fear for them and my concern to spare their blood," Mr Sadr said about the proposed demonstration.
The statement also called for a clear timetable for US forces to leave Iraq. His statement also called for a clear timetable for US forces to leave Iraq.