Thousands in Syria rally to denounce deadly U.S. raid

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Tens of thousands crowded a Damascus square in a government-orchestrated rally Thursday to denounce a deadly U.S. raid on Syrian territory near Iraq and send a loud message to America: Leave us alone!

A private Syrian television station also reported the government was reducing the number of soldiers along the Iraqi border, calling it a move to reduce security cooperation with the U.S. in the wake of the attack. It showed footage of troops dismantling positions and leaving the area.

The Syrian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Syria has threatened to end border security cooperation with the United States and Iraq in reaction to Sunday’s attack, which U.S. officials say killed a top al-Qaida figure who organized the movement of fighters and weapons into Iraq.

U.S. officials have accused Syria of not doing enough to stop militants from crossing into Iraq, while the Syrians insist they have been doing all they can to police a long border. They also contend the raid killed only eight Syrian civilians, and on Thursday a ranking official challenged Washington to prove the raid targeted an extremist.

Asked about the report of a Syrian border pullback, an Iraqi government official said Syria had sent additional soldiers to the border region after Sunday’s raid and it was those troops that withdrew Thursday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.

The demonstration in Damascus took place a mile from the U.S. Embassy, which shut down for the day over security concerns. But the flag-waving crowd dispersed peacefully after two hours of chanting anti-American slogans.

Hundreds of Syrian riot police guarded the embassy, and demonstrators made no attempt to head for the U.S. compound.