The 4th Infantry Division last weekend disputed accounts that thousands had taken to the streets of Baghdad on Friday to praise the Hezbollah terror group and denounce Israel and the United States for the attacks against Lebanon.
"A demonstration in Sadr City did not occur," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington, the division's spokesman, in an e-mail Saturday from Baghdad. "We had one demonstration in the southern city of Hilla that involved about 700 people."
Located in southern Iraq, Hilla is in the Polish sector and is home to about a half-million people.
Western media, including The Associated Press, and Arab media reported demonstrations across Iraq and in Baghdad. However, news releases at the Web site for Multinational Force-Iraq also made no reference to demonstrations since Friday.
The Pentagon's Web site in Washington focused on evacuations of Americans in Lebanon by the U.S. military.
The Associated Press reported more than 5,000 Iraqis poured into Sadr City, Baghdad's eastern Shiite slum.
"No, no to Israel, no no to America," the AP reported some of the chanting. "Oh God make (Hezbollah leader) Hassan Nasrallah victorious."
The demonstrations began after Muslims left Friday prayers in mosques.
"Let everyone understand that we will not stand idle," read one of the banners carried by the demonstrators. "Iraq and Lebanon are calling, enough silence Arabs," another stated.
Withington did not say the accounts differ. |