NAJAF, Feb 10: Tens of thousands of Shias gathered in Najaf on Tuesday to celebrate the festival of Ghadeer and support their spiritual leader's demands for early elections.

Tens of thousands of faithful flocked to Najaf, 160kms south of Baghdad, to celebrate the event. Residents distributed candies, lit firecrackers and sprayed perfumed water on passers-by.

Police deployment was relatively light, although sharpshooters took up positions on rooftops around Hazrat Ali's shrine. Revellers waved portraits of Ayatollah Sistani, as demonstrators in their midst cried out: "The people are with you, Ali Sistani!"

"We support elections to form a transitional assembly based on the will of the people as demanded by the marjaiya (religious leadership)," read a banner held by protesters.

The US-led occupation administration argues it is impossible to arrange a fair and democratic vote before a June 30 deadline to hand over power to an Iraqi authority.

Ayatollah Sistani has challenged its plans for a transitional assembly selected by regional caucuses, and has instead been calling for early direct elections.

His call is believed to have been made to ensure that Shias got Iraq's leadership in the first post-occupation government. A UN delegation arrived on Saturday to assess the feasibility of early elections and possibly broker a compromise. -AFP