Hundreds of anti-government demonstrators opposed the security forces and blocked the streets of Baghdad on Sunday January 19, determined to increase pressure on the authorities, who had until Monday to respond to the demands of the protest movement .
This movement, which has been calling for an overhaul of the ruling system since early October, had been overshadowed in recent weeks by the escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States, the two main sponsors of Baghdad.
To prevent the rallies from losing momentum in the face of mounting regional tensions, the protesters sent a week-long ultimatum to the government on January 13 to respond to their requests.
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These include a call for early elections, a reform of the electoral law, the appointment of an independent Prime Minister and an end to corruption, which in 16 years has engulfed twice the GDP of Iraq. The protesters also want the end of the political system of distribution of posts according to ethnic groups and faiths.
As early as Sunday, on the eve of the deadline, young protesters in Baghdad and southern Iraq began blocking roads and bridges with burnt tires.
Clashes between police and demonstrators
Early Monday, they resumed their action in the capital, but the security forces acted quickly, the army claiming to have arrested nine demonstrators and reopened the main artery of the second most populous city in the Arab world (nine million inhabitants).
In addition to Tahrir Square, the heart of the dispute, hundreds of other demonstrators also joined Sunday Tayaran Square, where they clashed with the security forces, who used tear gas and fired live ammunition to disperse them, a said an AFP journalist.
>> Read: "Iranian influence in Iraq, a target of protesters' anger"
Young Iraqis wearing helmets and gas masks erected metal barricades in an attempt to repel riot police. The skirmishes lasted all night, leaving a total of 20 injured, some of whom were shot, according to a medical source.
Since October, around 460 people have lost their lives as a result of violence most often linked to the suppression of demonstrations and 25,000 others have been injured, according to an AFP count.
The demonstrators, who reject any foreign influence, won a victory in December with the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. But the latter continues to lead the country, the political parties having so far failed to agree on a successor.
With AFP
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