Iraq protests continue .. Deputies and the resignation of Sadr warns against the inclusion of the crowd and the government refuses to exploit students

Thousands of Iraqi protesters remained in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad on Sunday for the third consecutive day, in defiance of a bloody security campaign that killed dozens of demonstrators in the past two days, and a raid by security forces during the night to disperse them.

While four deputies announced their resignation in protest against the crackdown, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi warned against using schools, universities and government institutions in the protests, and Sadr leader Muqtada al-Sadr warned the government against trying to force the Popular Mobilization forces in a clash with the people.

The Iraqi Human Rights Commission said that the number of people killed in demonstrations in Baghdad and other provinces during the past three days, 74 dead, all demonstrators, while injuring about 3600 others, including security personnel.

The UNHCR added that the security forces made a campaign of arrests in the provinces of Basra, Dhi Qar and Babylon, where the number of detainees 158 people, of whom 123 were released, pointing out that the reason for the arrest of the demonstrators is the refusal to break up the sit-ins. Around 90 government and private buildings and party headquarters were burnt and damaged by some individuals who wanted to derail the peaceful demonstrations.

Most of the deaths occurred in clashes between demonstrators and militants of the Popular Mobilization faction, where gunmen opened fire on protesters as they tried to reach their headquarters in the central and southern provinces in order to set fire to them.

Warning and resignations
In this context, warned the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr on Sunday, the Iraqi government from trying to get the crowd into a clash with the people.

"Do not champion the corrupt nor suppress the people, nor enable the undisciplined of you from the people's throats and blood," he said in a tweet to the crowd.

Sadr added that "the crowd's weapon is still aimed at ISIS and will not be against the people," stressing that the Iraqi army and security forces are only concerned to take matters in the defense of the people, not the corrupt.

In the meantime, four Iraqi lawmakers announced their resignations from parliament, rejecting the performance of the political class, which they accuse of "failing" in responding to the demands of the protest movement.

The only two communist MPs who won their seats in the Sairoun coalition, Raed Fahmi and Haifa al-Amin, as well as defensive Taha and Muzahim al-Tamimi resigned from the "victory" list led by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

The move came a day after the deputies of the coalition "Saeron" led by Muqtada al-Sadr open sit-in in parliament "until the adoption of all the reforms demanded by the Iraqi people."

Student participation
In the meantime, young men erected barricades on a bridge leading to the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad to separate them from security forces who continued to throw tear gas canisters at them. Medical and security sources said 77 people were wounded on Sunday.

In Tahrir Square, a symbolic center for demonstrations in the capital, young girls were seen wearing school uniforms and carrying backpacks roaming the streets where tear gas canisters were fired.

Social media pages and videos showed marches and cheers for students in front of and within their schools, including elementary school students.

Earlier on Sunday, university students and schools in Baghdad and a number of Iraqi provinces staged demonstrations calling for reform, while others staged a sit-in.

In light of this development, the Iraqi Prime Minister warned against the exploitation of schools, universities and government institutions in the protests taking place in the country.

Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, military spokesman for Abdul-Mahdi, said in a statement seen by the Anatolia news agency that the prime minister ordered full time in the ministries and institutions of the state and its departments, schools and universities. He added that if any case of deliberate disruption is detected, perpetrators will be referred to severe punitive measures.

For its part, warned the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Iraq on Sunday the risk of involving primary and middle school students and kindergartens in the ongoing demonstrations in Baghdad and the rest of the provinces.

Thousands of demonstrators also continued to rally in three southern cities of Nasiriyah, Hilla and Karbala. Protesters set fire to the entrance to the Karbala provincial council building, while security forces fired tear gas to disperse them in Karbala and Hilla. Sunday's protests in Nasiriyah were peaceful.

An Iraqi medical source said on Sunday evening that about 50 demonstrators and 10 security personnel were wounded in Karbala province after protesters were prevented from storming the government compound in the center of the city. According to media reports, counter-terrorism forces arrived in the city of Karbala on Sunday evening, to contain the crisis of protests. In Babil province, angry protesters set fire to a Popular Mobilization headquarters and houses of officials.

The Iraqi counterterrorism agency said on Sunday it had deployed troops on the streets of Baghdad to protect sovereign structures from "undisciplined elements".

Protesters are demanding better public services, job creation and anti-corruption before their demands rise to overthrow the government after the army and security forces use excessive violence against them, which the government has acknowledged and promised to hold those responsible to account.

Since the protests began, the Mahdi government has adopted several reform packages in several sectors, but has not satisfied the protesters who insist on toppling the government. There is widespread resentment in the country over the government's violent handling of the protests.