US air attacks in a Shia stronghold of Baghdad yesterday killed 13 and wounded 69.
The US military said the attacks in Sadr City targeted criminals believed to be responsible for kidnapping US soldiers in May this year and November 2006.
Two toddlers were among those who died. Hundreds of Sadr City residents, wailing and chanting "There is no God but Allah", carried wooden coffins through the streets.
The district is the main stronghold in Baghdad for the Mehdi Army, a Shia militia loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, and has seen many clashes between US forces and militants.
Sadr froze the activities of the Mehdi Army at the end of August for six months after 52 were killed in gun battles between rival Shia militias in the city of Kerbala.
Three US soldiers were kidnapped south of Baghdad in May. The body of one was found later that month but the other two are classed as missing and captured.