An anti al-Qaeda group in central Iraq has resigned en-masse from its US military employers, accusing them of killing 19 of the group.

The walk-out occurred in Juruf Sakher village near the city of Hilla, 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of Baghdad.

"The group, which comprises 110 members, resigned in protest at organized assassinations by the coalition forces," Sabah al-Janabi, leader of the anti al-Qaeda Awakening group in the area told AFP.

According to Janabi and a local police official, Ali al-Lami, three members of the Awakening group were killed on Saturday when they were attacked by gunfire from a US helicopter.

"It was the third incident in a month. We have lost 19 men while 12 have been injured because of coalition attacks," added Janabi.

The US military said it was not certain that the Awakening members had indeed resigned.

"There was a peaceful demonstration in Jurf al-Sakhar, however there was no implication that the (Awakening) would cease in their work with coalition forces," it said.

On Monday, about 3,500 demonstrators, mainly Awakening members, marched through the streets of Baquba north of Baghdad to demand the sacking of the police chief whom they claim was behind kidnappings in the city.

Abu Haider al-Katib, a spokesman for the 1920s Revolution Brigades, the largest of the Awakening components, told AFP that if their demands were not met, they would "take up arms" against the police "and US troops if they support the police".

The protests underscore the US military's tenuous position.

The Awakening groups-began in western Anbar province in September 2006-are supported and paid for by the US military which sees them as an essential help.

US commanders say there are now around 130 such groups across Iraq with a total of about 80,000 volunteers.

The Iraqi government has announced its concerns about the dangers of giving too much power to Awakening Councils that have successfully driven al-Qaeda out of many districts of Baghdad and elsewhere.

MHE/HAR