Photo of Dead GI Stirs Protests

An Associated Press photograph of a dead U.S. soldier being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu drew a strong reaction Tuesday from newspaper readers shocked by an image that graphically brought home the violence in Somalia.

The body of the serviceman, who has not been identified, is shown being pulled by ropes along the ground through a crowd of Somalis. His face is visible. He was one of 12 U.S. soldiers killed in weekend battles.

The photograph was used by newspapers across the country, and some reported receiving angry phone calls from readers. The Los Angeles Times, which published the photo Tuesday on Page A2, received several dozen protest calls.

Vin Alabiso, the AP’s executive photo editor, said the decision to move the photo was “based primarily on its importance in telling the unfolding story in Mogadishu.”