In Iraq, thousands of Iraq’s Shiite Sadrist al-Mahdi supporters led by their Leader Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets of Baghdad on Thursday opposing US military presence in the country. Voice of Iraq news agency reported that Iraqi Army forces closed the main roads, leading to Al-Sadr city, where the demonstration started from and spread to most of its streets and districts.The Spokesman for the Sadrist, Salah al-Obeidy announced in his speech that the demonstration is taking place to demand the departure of the American troops from Iraq by the end of the current year. He added that his movement’s Al-Mahdi Army Militia would start its military resistance, along with stepping up its peaceful resistance in the event of non-departure of US troops by the end of this year.According to the Security Agreement signed between Baghdad and Washington at the end of 2008, U.S. combat troops had withdrawn from Iraq at the end of August 2010. Remaining U.S. troops, estimated at 50,000, would withdraw by the end of the current year.