Iraqi security forces shot dead at least 13 protesters and injured dozens within 24 hours, giving up their relatively restraint following the first wave of violence, and fired live bullets at protesters protesting against political parties controlling the government. The United Nations condemned the violence and demanded the protection of demonstrators.
Five protesters were shot dead on Sunday, a day after eight people were killed and dozens injured. At least two people were killed when security forces opened fire on protesters who staged a sit-in at the entrance of Umm Qasr al-President port near the oil-producing city of Basra. The bulk of Iraq's imports are being received, and security officials in Basra imposed a curfew at 10 pm on Thursday in an attempt to disperse the crowd, saying they would use force if necessary to break up the protest. Witnesses said security forces were quick to withdraw after the demonstrators insisted on Continue to sit In their positions, roads were blocked in front of the movement of trucks, clashes continued yesterday morning, and one person was killed while burying a demonstrator killed last night.
Violence erupted in Karbala last night, which resulted in the death of four demonstrators shot by the security forces, while trying to burn the building of the Iranian consulate. Quds in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qasem Soleimani, to Iraq, and the statements of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei on Iraq.
Clashes broke out between demonstrators and security forces in central Baghdad, who threw stones at security forces. Police fired tear gas canisters at demonstrators on the way to the Iranian embassy and the foreign and justice ministries' offices. In the south of the country, Iraqi forces closed al-Ahrar Bridge, the third bridge in central Baghdad to be closed due to escalating protests.
The UN envoy to Iraq, Janine Hines Blaskhart, condemned the violence in a tweet on the social networking site «Twitter», and said: «sponsors of the ongoing bloodshed in Iraq, violence only breeds violence, must protect peaceful demonstrators, it is time for national dialogue».
The Iraqi authorities once again cut off the entire Internet in Baghdad and the south of the country after the protests calling for the “overthrow of the regime” entered its second month. The organization «Net Blocks» cybersecurity that «this new pieces is the worst restrictions imposed by the Iraqi government since the beginning of the demonstrations».
President of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday, expressed support for the legitimate demands of the demonstrators, and stressed during a press conference, held after a meeting with Iraqi President, Barham Saleh, that Iraqis have the right to enjoy services and jobs and improve their lives.