- They are protesting against the widespread corruption here in Iraq, which means that basic things like electricity and water supply are not working. They do not believe in the incumbent government's promises of limited reforms. They want the government to step down. Iraq is a rich country that has the world's fourth largest oil wealth - yet millions of people live in poor conditions, says Stina Blomgren.
At least 330 people have been killed in connection with the demonstrations. How did it go?- They have been killed by snipers who fired at the protesters, but many have also been killed when they were hit by military tear gas grenades which are terribly dangerous. The images are venerable and depict protesters whose heads or breasts were penetrated by the grenades which then exploded inside their bodies.
What does the outside world say?- The United States has called on the Iraqi government to announce new elections. Amnesty International calls what is happening here a bloodbath and the UN has called on the country's politicians to find a way out of the dangerous situation by implementing reforms and taking action against corruption. At the same time, the government side and the protesters are very far apart and neither side seems to want to give up, says Stina Blomgren.