Published 19:50 IST, November 30th 2019
At least two killed in renewed anti-government protests in Iraq
Violent protestors burned tires and gheraoed a police station that killed two in the Southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya on November 30, according to the reports.
- World News
- 3 min read
Violent protestors burned tires and gheraoed a police station in the Southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya on November 30, according to the reports. Iraqi officials said that two protestors have been shot dead and at least 26 wounded in Baghdad and southern Iraq in continued unrest despite the Prime Minister promised to resign. Adel Abdul Mahdi announced his resignation on Friday to parliament after the government has faced two months of violent widespread protests. His resignation came after the country's senior Shi'ite Muslim cleric forced the lawmakers to reconsider their support for a government that has been facing weeks of deadly anti-establishment unrest. The cabinet of Iraq released a statement to hold an emergency meeting on Saturday to discuss Abdul-Mahdi’s stepping down and approved the resignations of key staff. The hospital and security officials claimed that two protesters were killed and 15 were wounded on early Saturday by security forces who fired tear gas and fresh rounds of bullets to disperse the demonstrators.
Iraqi forces killed hundreds of protestors
Young, unemployed and unarmed protesters have called for reelections. They said the government is endemically corrupt and serves foreign powers. Iraqi forces have killed hundreds of young, unarmed demonstrators people since mass anti-government protests broke out on October 1. A dozen security forces have died in clashes. At least 436 people have died in less than two months, according to the international media reports. The protestors have blocked the main roads in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, as mass anti-government protests escalated. The demonstrators were seen parking their cars at major junctions of the city and the police did not intervene. Scores of people have taken part in the two phases of protests that started on October 1 demanding more jobs, better services and an end to corruption.
Schools, colleges remained closed
The protestors have been protesting in Baghdad defying a curfew order introduced in late October. The President of Iraq said last week that the Prime Minister would resign if political parties could agree on his replacement. Protestors closed the main roads of the capital. Schools and colleges have been closed across Baghdad and various regions of Iraq and the students were seen staging sit-ins at their schools. Offices have been closed and government officers were not allowed to reach offices by the protestors. The main center of the protest has been Baghdad's central Tahrir Square. Protestors have been attempting to cross the green zone which houses government buildings and foreign embassies. Similar protests took place in the city of Kut, south-east of Baghdad.
Updated 20:03 IST, November 30th 2019