The Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced today the end of the state of maximum alert it had raised about a week ago to face the mass demonstrations witnessed in Baghdad and a number of Iraqi provinces. The country has been quiet for a second day, but residents are still deprived of social media despite the limited return of Internet access.

The Iraqi authorities reopened today the bridge of the Republic, which connects the Green Zone - which includes government departments and foreign embassies, most notably the United States - to Tahrir Square in the center of the Iraqi capital.

The reopening of the bridge is the latest security measure to be lifted after a series of security measures imposed by the authorities in recent days, accompanied by a large security deployment to counter the demonstrations.

Congestion has returned to the hubs of the city of 9 million, and departments and shops have opened.

Internet
Authorities blocked access to Facebook and WhatsApp after the wave of protests began on the first of this month, before the Internet was completely cut off the next day.

According to the network "Net Bloks" for cybersecurity that the almost complete cutting imposed by the state in most areas, severely limits the media coverage and transparency about the ongoing crisis.

Since Tuesday, the Internet has returned at certain times and is very slow in Baghdad and the south of the country, and during those periods, many have been able to access websites through applications, and publish videos of the killing of demonstrators.

Nate Bloks pointed out that the north of the country - especially the Kurdistan region - is linked to the network through a different system, and therefore was not affected by the blackout.

More than 110 dead, thousands wounded in protests in Iraq

American invitation
For its part, Washington called on Baghdad to hold accountable those who violate human rights, after a protest movement that killed more than 110 people and wounded more than 6,000 others.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo telephoned Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and informed him of US condemnation of the violence in Iraq and the loss of life, the State Department said.

Pompeo reaffirmed the United States' continued commitment to a strong, prosperous and sovereign Iraq.