The news comes as tens of thousands of people rallied in the holy Shiite cities of Najaf and Kufa on the fourth anniversary of the ouster of Saddam Hussein to call for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Demonstrators burned U.S. flags and chanted, “No to the occupier, Yes to Iraq.” The crowd reportedly included members of the Iraqi army.

Sheikh Abdelhadi Al-Muhammadawi, a leader of the movement of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr: “In your name, you, the mujahideen, we call for a pullout of the occupiers and the withdrawal of the last U.S. soldier. We also reject the presence of any form of military bases on the land of the faithful. I want you to make America, Tel Aviv and the White House and all the tyrants hear: 'Get out, get out occupiers.'”

Meanwhile in Baghdad, thousands of troops swept through the city to enforce a fourth anniversary curfew. A Baghdad resident identified by his first name Mazin reflected on the four years since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Mazin: “On this occasion we remember the anniversary of the occupation and the anniversary of great tragedy. Frankly, nothing has changed, and we have not noticed any change. If you compare the current situation and the situation under the ousted regime, you see it the same. You can see car bombs, terrorism and blood.”