Iraq protests .. Baghdad dead and security forces control key bridges

Medical sources in Baghdad said that five demonstrators were killed and more than 100 others were injured due to security firing tear gas and live bullets to disperse the demonstrators in al-Khalani Square near Tahrir Square.The security forces managed to recover three bridges in the capital which were controlled by the protesters.

Reuters quoted security and medical sources as saying that security forces killed at least five while trying to force the protesters to retreat towards their main gathering center in central Baghdad, Tahrir Square, and security forces used in their intervention live ammunition, sound bombs and tear gas.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Interior denied in a statement that there were victims among the demonstrators in al-Khalani Square, and said that the security forces did not use live bullets to disperse them.

Protests in Iraq began in early October, with protesters demanding jobs and services, which spread from the capital to cities in the south with demands that amounted to the comprehensive political change of the sectarian system in the country and the departure of the ruling class.

Battle of Bridges
The security intervention on Saturday injured dozens, and the security forces regained control of three main bridges in Baghdad, except for a bridge linking the eastern part of the capital, which includes residential and commercial neighborhoods to the government headquarters across the Tigris River.

Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that a number of demonstrators were suffocated, as a result of security use of tear gas to disperse the protesters in Al-Senak Square, near the bridge leading to the Iranian embassy and the Green Zone in central Baghdad.

Witnesses reported that the security forces carried out a large-scale campaign of arrests against the demonstrators at the bottom of the bridge Alsink, adding that a number of demonstrators were arrested.

Although large numbers of protesters are gathering in Tahrir Square, clashes have been going on for four of the 12 bridges in the capital for several days.

Amnesty International said that the Iraqi authorities must stop the use of excessive and unlawful force against demonstrators, adding that the authorities must "protect the right of the people to life, assembly and expression."
The International Organization for Human Rights has counted 264 demonstrators killed across Iraq for more than a month now.

Government Statement
On the other hand, promised Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in a speech on Saturday to investigate the deaths of demonstrators, and the release of detainees, except those held for criminal offenses.

Abdul-Mahdi said in a statement that public pressure is one of the most important factors pushing the political forces to accept the required reforms, stressing that he will make full or partial ministerial changes in his government to get out of the quota system, and called on the prime minister to return to normalcy after weeks of unrest.

The Agence France-Presse quoted two cadres of one of the Iraqi parties that the main major parties in the country continued meetings in recent days in order to find a way out of the political crisis.

He pointed out one of the former sources that "political parties agreed in a meeting that included the majority of the leaders of the large blocs to adhere to Adel Abdul Mahdi, and adhere to power in return for reforms in the files of anti-corruption and constitutional amendments."

He added that the parties also agreed to "support the government in ending the protests by all available means."

However, the office of Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani denied that the Supreme Shiite religious authority is part of an agreement to keep the current government and end the ongoing protests.