Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    RAMADI, Iraq, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi police dispersed dozens of demonstrators who took to streets near the city of Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, on Thursday to demand the release of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush during a news conference four days ago, a local police source said.

    The dispersion occurred after demonstrators threw their shoes at a U.S. patrol that was traveling near them in the Khamsa Kilo area, just west of Ramadi, some 110 km west of Baghdad, prompting one of the American soldiers to open fire high above the shoes-throwers, creating chaos, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

    Meanwhile, nearby Iraqi police force stepped in and dispersed the protesters to avoid skirmishes between them and the patrol's troops, the source said, adding there were no one has hurt by the gunfire.

    The U.S. military did not confirm the information yet.

    On Sunday, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, reporter of Baghdadiya television, jumped suddenly and threw his two shoes one by one at the U.S. president and called him a "dog" during a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.

    Two days later, thousands of Iraqis took to streets of the cities of Mosul, Nassriyah and Baghdad and hailed Zaidi, praising his act and describing it as a heroic one.

    Anbar, the country's largest province, has been relatively calm since more than a year and a half ago after Sunni tribes and anti-U.S. insurgent groups turn up against al-Qaida in Iraq network, cooperating with the U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces.