Iraqis ask Sadr men to quit Najaf

Sadr's militia are said to be near the Imam Ali mosque

Iraqi protesters in the holy city of Najaf have called on rebel Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr's Mehdi Army to leave.

Witnesses said a crowd marched to the central shrine area, where some Sadr gunmen fired shots in the air.

The march followed pressure from Shia religious leaders for the militia to leave the city after continued clashes with US-led forces.

Mr Sadr launched an uprising against coalition forces last month and has taken refuge in Najaf.

'Leave Najaf'

The demonstration was organised by Iraq's biggest Shia party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), according to AFP news agency.

The marchers called on the militiamen to evacuate their stronghold near the Imam Ali mosque and chanted slogans such as "leave Najaf to the residents of Najaf", the agency said.

Mr Sadr is wanted in connection with the murder of a rival cleric last year.

The new US-appointed governor of Najaf, Adnan al-Zorfi, said that if Mr Sadr disbanded his militia, legal proceedings over the murder could be halted until after the 30 June handover of power, AFP reported.