Iraqis flash the victory sign and wave a white flag as they leave the southern city of Basra 14 August 2004 on their way to Najaf, where the militia of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr has been battling US and Iraqi forces for over a week. People from around the country are converging on the holy Shiite city in a show of support for the radical cleric. Poster on right shows with pictures of Moqtada Sadr (R) and his father Mohammed Sadeq Sadr, who was assassinated by the regime of Saddam Hussein in 1999. (Xinhua/AFP Photo Essam AL-SUDANI)

Iraqis wave goodbye to friends and relatives aboard a bus in the southern city of Basra 14 August 2004 as they leave for Najaf, where the militia of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr (pictures) has been battling US and Iraqi forces for over a week. People from around the country are converging on the holy Shiite city in a show of support for the radical cleric. (Xinhua/AFP Photo Essam AL-SUDANI)

Iraqis wave goodbye to friends and relatives aboard busses in the southern city of Basra 14 August 2004 as they leave for Najaf, where the militia of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr (picture) has been battling US and Iraqi forces for over a week. People from around the country are converging on the holy Shiite city in a show of support for the cleric. AFP (Xinhua/AFP Photo Essam AL-SUDANI)

Hundreds of Iraqi Muslim demonstrators enter the shrine of Imam Ali in the holy Shiite city of Najaf 14 August 2004. Thousands of supporters of radical Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr flocked to Najaf, where the cleric and his militia have held out against a US-led assault for over a week. EDS NOTE: Resending to correct erroneous caption.(Xinhua/AFP Photo Karim SAHIB)

   BAGHDAD, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of Iraqis loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr flock to the holy city of Najaf on Saturday, as a ceasefire continued in the city to allow for peace talks between the battling sides.

   Busloads of Iraqis came to Najaf, led by Sheikh Hazem al-Araji, a senior Sadr aide in Baghdad, who had urged people during Friday's weekly prayers to march to Najaf in protest against the US assault.

   The open-ended ceasefire was to allow negotiations to end the military showdown between Sadr's Mehdi Army and a joint Iraqi-US force.

   Talks were taking place between the US forces, Iraqi security troops, the Iraqi government's negotiator, and Sadr's aide.

   The US military said it had suspended offensive operations against Sadr's fighters, who were holed up in the city's sprawling cemetery and the Imam Ali shrine, one of the holiest sites to Shiite Muslims.

   More than a week-long offensive on Najaf caused outrage throughout Iraq and much of the Arab world as protesters took to the streets and voiced resentment of the heavy-handed approach of the US forces in and around the city.

   On Friday, a slightly wounded Sadr from early morning US shelling of Najaf demanded the resignation of the interim Iraqi government, calling it "dictatorial" and saying it was worse than the Baathist government of Saddam Hussein.  Enditem