Published 12:37 IST, November 30th 2019
After 2-month of anti-government protests, Iraq PM announces his resignation
The Prime Minister of Iraq Adel Abdul Mahdi announced on November 29 that he would submit his resignation letter to parliament after monthlong violent protests.
The Prime Minister of Iraq Adel Abdul Mahdi announced on November 29 that he would submit his resignation letter 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 violence sparked in Southern Iraq that killed at least 21 people. One protestor was killed in the central Baghdad as protests continued which included scores of people sitting in at Tahrir Square in the Iraqi capital.
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 centre 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 13:04 IST, November 30th 2019