Hundreds protest US station in Sadr City

Though described as a 'base' in the article, the Joint Security Station (JSS) is housed in a police station, and holds a small contingent of U.S. forces. The Baghdad security plan calls for 17 such stations throughout Baghdad.

BAGHDAD (AFP) - More than a thousand unarmed protesters demanded the removal of a US military base from east Baghdad's Sadr City on Friday, in the first sign of Shiite opposition to a new security plan.

Sadr City is a stronghold of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia and there had been fears that US and Iraqi forces would face violent opposition as they tried to gain control of the vast slum district.

Instead, Sadr's black-clad militia fighters melted away as the plan went into effect last month, and last week troops and police taking part in the operation were able to set up a "Joint Security Station" in the area.

Read the rest at Yahoo News

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