PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Demonstrations in Baghdad Against U.S. Troops
by Firas Al-Atraqchi Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 7:05 PM

While Kurdish factions in the northern cities accuse each other of inciting violence and looting, demonstrations against US lack of intervention continue in Baghdad.

Report by YellowTimes.org
NewsFromtheFront.org

TORONTO (NFTF.org) -- CNN's Michael Holmes in Baghdad has been reporting on demonstrations in central squares protesting against the failure of the U.S. to stop looters and pillagers. Holmes stated that "Down, down, USA" could be clearly heard. Al Jazeera has also reported that protestors have been shouting, "No to America, No to Saddam."

Time magazine's Michael Ware says Kurdish looters have been held at bay by tribal Arab families banded together to protect Tikrit. Ware says the area has seen "incessant shooting" and has effectively become a no man's land.

Reuters reports that Kurdish factions are accusing one another of inciting violence and looting: "[Masoud] Barzani [of the Kurdish Democratic Party] accused his former rivals -- the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Jalal Talabani -- of breaking a pact with the United States to avoid a large-scale Kurdish assault on Kirkuk and opt for a smaller, U.S.-led drive. Instead, Barzani said Patriotic Union fighters took advantage of the collapse of Iraqi defenses on Thursday and poured into the city ... he blamed his rival-turned-partner Monday for triggering looting and chaos in northern cities..."

YellowTimes.org correspondent Firas Al-Atraqchi drafted this report.

www.NewsFromTheFront.org