Despite the curfew, the demonstrations are renewed and the government is communicating with the protesters

BAGHDAD - Hundreds of protesters have begun arriving in central Baghdad to take part in demonstrations, witnesses said, despite security measures imposed by Iraqi forces in Baghdad to prevent curfew, which took place from dawn until today indefinitely.

The sources added that security forces in Tahrir Square and Al-Sunak Square, near Tahrir Square in Baghdad, are firing in the air to prevent the demonstrators from reaching these squares.

The security forces had earlier closed all the bridges leading to areas of central Baghdad, and closed the roads and alleys that lead to these areas.

The government continues
In a remarkable development, the correspondent of Al Jazeera in Baghdad that the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi told Al Jazeera that the government began to communicate with the demonstrators, which he described as "peaceful" to discuss their demands and how to respond to them.

outcome
The Iraqi Human Rights Commission announced that the death toll of the demonstrations witnessed in Baghdad and a number of Iraqi provinces in the past two days amounted to 19 dead and 1,041 injured, including a number of members of the security forces, adding that the number of detainees reached 216, and released 154 of them.

This comes at a time when Iraqi security forces dispersed a demonstration in Saadoun Street (central Baghdad) this morning.

Iraqi authorities also announced a curfew in Najaf and Dhi Qar (south of the country).

Two days ago, demonstrations took place in several Iraqi cities, most notably Baghdad, against the government and demanding reforms.

The government justified the declaration of a curfew in order to protect public peace and protect demonstrators, whom it described as engineers who launched attacks against security forces and public property.

Investigation
For his part, stressed Iraqi President Barham Saleh during the meeting of the three presidencies and political leaders; the need to accelerate a thorough investigation on what happened in the demonstrations last two days of deaths and injuries.

He added that the two meetings stressed restraint and respect for the law and prevent the use of excessive force in dealing with events. They also emphasized legal and societal responsibility in the face of what he described as engineers.

Saleh stressed the need for direct communication between the government and representatives of the demonstrators to work together for reform and the desired change and the formation of an official committee to deal with their demands.

What is happening in Iraq also prompted the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations there to emphasize the legitimacy of the demands made by the demonstrators.

It called on the Iraqi authorities to exercise utmost restraint in dealing with the protests and to allow peaceful demonstrators to express their views freely, within the framework of the law.

She noted that the use of force only fueled anger, stressing the urgent need to stop the escalation.