Coalition troops fire on Iraqi protesters
NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Spanish-led coalition troops in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf have fired on Iraqi protesters, wounding about 40 of them, witnesses say.
A Reuters photographer at the scene on Sunday said troops fired from several directions and several of the wounded were seriously hurt, prompting clashes between the troops and militiamen loyal to a radical Shi'ite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr. The protests had erupted over the arrest of an aide to the cleric.
Witnesses said the troops opened fire when thousands of protesters tried to enter a coalition base on the edge of the city. Spanish, El Salvadorean and other Spanish-speaking troops are headquartered at the base.
Ambulances were at the scene to try to help the injured. Iraqis transported some of the wounded to hospital in their cars because there were too few ambulances.