Thousands of Bosnian Muslims have joined protests across Bosnia-Hercegovina to demand that international arbitrators place the disputed northern town of Brcko under Muslim control.

The demonstrations -- in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bihac and Zenica -- took place in rain and were backed by leading Muslim politicians, including the former Bosnian president, Alija Izetbegovic.

Brcko, a strategically-important river-port,is currently under international administration and is claimed by both the Bosnian Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

Arbitrators have three times postponed deciding its fate but say they will announce a definite decision in the next few weeks.

During the war, most of Brcko's non-Serb residents were driven out, and the Muslim-Croat Federation says they should be allowed to return.

Both sides have threatened to resume fighting if the town is given to the other.