Thousands Gather In Baghdad To Protest U.S. Military Presence

Thousands of protesters gathered in Baghdad Friday to demand the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. 

Photos from the demonstration showed large crowds gathered at a central square in Baghdad. Loudspeakers blasted "No, no America" while protesters held Iraqi flags and signs urging the U.S. to leave the country.

Organizers had hoped to recruit a large number of protesters to attend the event. A powerful Shiite cleric called for a "million-man" march, but the number of demonstrators fell short of that.

The protest came three weeks after an American airstrike killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, sending tensions in the region to a new level.

After the strike, Iraq's parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to dismiss foreign troops from the country. But the measure was non-binding, and the Trump administration has said it isn't planning to pull American troops from the region.

Contains footage from CNN.