New official toll: 157 dead in week-long Iraq anti-government protests

The death toll from the week-long anti-government protests which erupted in Baghdad and other cities in the beginning of the month has touched 157, an official inquiry found on Tuesday. The report also found evidence of sniper fire which targetted protesters from inside a building in central Baghdad

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Details of inquiry

As per reports, an inquiry found that the Iraqi capital witnessed 111 deaths of which the majority were protesters. The findings reveal that around 70% of deaths were caused by bullet wounds to the head or chest. Iran prepares for a fresh wave of protests on Friday demanding the removal of government and a political class that they view as corrupt.

The report stated that officers and commanders had lost control over the forces during the protests which led to chaos. The report added that no official order from the supreme authorities was given to security forces to open fire on protesters or use live ammunition. 

The violence reportedly has been the worst in Iraq since it put down an insurgency by the Sunni Muslim Islamic State group about two years ago and is the biggest challenge for Abdul Mahdi in office for a year.

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Evidence of sniper fire

The report found evidence of sniper fire which targetted protesters from inside a building in central Baghdad. The report said that the committee, during its field investigation, found shells from a sniper rifle inside an abandoned building near a petrol pump in Baghdad. 

“The committee found during its field investigation shells from a sniper rifle inside an abandoned building near a petrol station in central Baghdad,” the report said. Two Iraqi security officials told a news agency that Iran-backed militias deployed snipers on Baghdad roofs during the country's deadliest anti-government protests for years now.  Report said that other contributing factors in deadly violence was a lax effort to impose a curfew or to punish broadcasters for airing false reports on protests as well as use of firebombs by protesting crowds.

(With inputs from agencies)

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