Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the March 19 invasion of Iraq, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCC) has reiterated the conviction held by many US churches that the war has been a ‘disastrous mistake’ and should be brought to an end.

The Iraqi dead, as well as those who have died from Britain, will be remembered in a 'public lament' later this week, marking the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion. Dressed in red, participants will mourn the dead by name, both Iraqi and British, civilian and soldier.

Christians have illegally protested the invasion of Iraq by staging a demonstration in Parliament Square, and planting crosses to remember the Iraqi men, women and children killed by US and UK forces.

Over two hundred Christians were arrested this weekend after protesting on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq invasion.

Thousands of Christians from across the US will gather on Friday in Washington DC to mark the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War.