Why has control of Baghdad bridges become a strategic choice for protesters?

The story started from the "Republic" bridge, then moved to the "free", and now reached the "martyrs." On those bridges, Iraqi protesters are battling to find out which ones bring down the government.

Controlling the bridges connecting the banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad is now a strategic issue. Protesters are seeking to control the bridges in two ways: the first offensive, by cutting off roads leading to vital institutions to carry out civil disobedience in Baghdad.

"We want to stop everything. No one should go to work," said Imad Hassan, 45, who printed his shirt on his shirt. "This is the way people who are not demonstrating can help us overthrow this government." .

The only obstacle
The second is defensive, as control will prevent security forces from rallying near Tahrir Square, where tens of thousands of demonstrators gather.

"We will stay there, and we will resist to protect the area and the protesters," said protester Abbas, 24, wearing a multi-pocket military jacket and putting a Pepsi can and other tools to protect him from tear gas.

"If we don't, they will attack Tahrir with hot water hoses, tear gas and live ammunition with heavy caliber, which kills people every day."

The bridge is the only obstacle that separates Tahrir Square from the symbolic Green Zone, which includes the headquarters of the Iraqi government and foreign embassies and is under strict protection.

The first demonstrations started from this place, where police erected three concrete barriers, behind which riot police fire tear gas canisters.

Demonstrators hoisted metal plates, rusty barrels and blankets over the blocks in the hope of creating a barrier, but have not yet been able to prevent many of the victims, some of whom were torn with skulls.

A few hundred meters north, the Senk Bridge (a term inherited from the Ottoman era) leads directly to the Iranian embassy and the Green Zone.

Further north, the Free and Martyrs Bridge leads to the neighborhood where Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's offices are located, the state-run Iraqiya channel and the Justice Ministry.

Concrete blocks
Every time the protesters try to cross the bridge, the concrete block phenomenon returns to prosperity on the three bridges. Security forces also hurriedly lifted two concrete barriers from the blocks that the government was proud to remove from Baghdad in recent months.

The scene is repeated daily on both sides of the concrete wall. On the one hand, riot police fire tear gas, sound bombs, and sometimes live ammunition from medium or heavy machine guns.

On the other hand, the demonstrators arm themselves and showered the police with small glass balls, or direct the green and red lasers at them, in the hope of preventing them from shooting.

Clashes also take place under the bridge, where river police from the boats fire sound grenades at protesters deployed on the edge of the river, in order to double the sound of the explosion, to remind Baghdadi of the sounds of bombings and other car bombs in the past years.

The clashes usually begin in the afternoon in central Baghdad, and the capital is shaken by the sounds of bombings until late at night, before stopping and resuming the next day.

On Thursday, police fired live ammunition at demonstrators who approached the central bank. Three people were killed, according to security and medical sources.