New anti-war protests erupt

Sydney: Anti-war protesters gathered outside the US Embassy in Malaysia on Sunday as part of a worldwide protest on the "US occupation of Iraq".

Global protests starting Saturday marked the third anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq where thousands of soldiers and civilians have died in military-rebel clashes.

Some 600 people in Kuala Lumpur called for the immediate pullout of US troops in Iraq while 150 policemen stood on guard for a possible outbreak of violence.

Up to 2,000 anti-war demonstrators are also expected in South Korea and Britain.

In the Philippines, left-wing coalition Iraq Solidarity Campaign condemned US military presence in Iraq and said they have planned a protest on Monday.

"Filipino anti-war activists grieve for the growing lists of dead soldiers and civilians, mostly women and children, as the immoral and unholy war against so-called terrorism rages on, led by US President George 'war freak' Bush," the group said in a statement.

Demonstrations started on Saturday with 500 people chanting anti-war slogans in Sydney.

"We have gathered here to tell America that we want peace, not war," said Babar Man, an Islamic leader in Pakistan where hundreds participated in anti-war rally on Saturday.

A major protest was also staged in London where police said at least 15,000 people marched from Parliament to a rally in Trafalgar Square.

In the United States, more than 1,000 people gathered in New York's Times Square and at least 7,000 protested in Chicago.