Baghdad: A top aide of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr claimed today that several groups of Iraqi troops were surrendering their arms at the movement's office in Baghdad's Shite bastion of Sadr City. Sheikh Salam al-Afraiji, head of the Sadr movement in eastern Baghdad," said "groups of Iraqi troops came to us to lay down their arms."
"After the people heard the screaming of Marjya (religious schools) and Moqtada's call for peace and calm, groups of armed forces started coming to our office in Sadr City to lay down their arms," Afraiji told reporters. "They said we can't fight our own people. When we first joined the Army it was to defeat terrorism and not to point the guns against the chests of our people. We told them we would not take your weapons. They should be with you," Afraiji said.
"We gave them copies of Koran and told them to go back." Several media photographers were at the Sadr office when the troops arrived. At least 75 people have been killed in Sadr City, the sprawling Shiite stronghold loyal to Sadr, since clashes broke out on Tuesday.
