Carnage in Baghdad

After the worst single day of violence in the occupation of Iraq George Galloway once more called for the withdrawal of British and US troops.

"Withdrawing the troops will not end the killing but it is a necessary pre-condition," he said. "The violence will not end while there is a presence of occupying foreign troops in Iraq. They are simply stoking the fire.

"The solution cannot be imposed by the occupiers and their puppet government, only by the various factions negotiating a peace. And, despite the horrific bloodshed, there are signs that this may happen. But it cannot happen until the foreign soldiers leave Iraqi soil."

His call came as casualties from Thursday's car bombings in the mostly Shia area of Sadr City rose to 202 dead and about 250 wounded, police said. The bombings were followed by mortar attacks on Sunni areas.

The Iraqi authorities put Baghdad's seven million residents under curfew on Thursday evening, saying all people and vehicles must stay off the streets until further notice.

They have also closed Baghdad airport and Basra's air and sea ports in the south.