Three people were killed and 38 wounded early yesterday after Iraqi security forces fired tear gas at protesters near two main bridges in Baghdad, Iraqi security and medical sources said. To prevent school students from participating in demonstrations that have been raging in the country for nearly two months.
The sources said that the cause of death in two cases was a direct injury to the head tear gas canisters.
Police said one of the protesters was killed near al-Senak Bridge and two were killed near the nearby al-Ahrar bridge.
Hospital sources said some protesters were hit by live ammunition, while others were hit by rubber bullets and tear gas.
Iraqi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said clashes on two strategic bridges in the capital had wounded at least 38 people.
They also pointed out that one of the protesters was killed when security forces used live bullets to repel the demonstrators from crossing Al-Ahrar bridge. The other protester was killed when security forces stationed on the al-Sinak bridge fired tear gas, one of which hit him in the head and killed him.
This comes at a time when a number of young people are staying daily in some squares in Baghdad and on the bridges, in order to prevent the security forces from taking control.
Protesters occupied parts of the three main bridges in Baghdad (al-Senk, al-Ahrar and al-Jumhuriya) leading to the heavily fortified Green Zone, where the Iraqi government is based.
The security forces dispersed, early Wednesday, demonstrators on the bridge Ahrar tear gas, causing injuries among the demonstrators. Iraqi security officials said at least 27 protesters were wounded in renewed clashes in central Baghdad.
The Iraqi army units deployed yesterday morning near the schools in the streets of the capital Baghdad, in an attempt to prevent school students from participating in the demonstrations that have been sweeping the country for nearly two months.
According to sources, elements of Iraqi intelligence forced the school administrations to provide them with a record of the attendance of teachers, and took pictures of schools that are absent from their students in response to calls for a general strike.
Over the past few days, schoolchildren have been staging public demonstrations in Baghdad, defying a decision by the Ministry of Education that called for students to resume classes.
Calls for a sit-in in Basra
A number of protesters in Basra issued calls through loudspeakers for a sit-in, and that employees do not go to work, except for health workers. It is also expected that the sit-in or closure will naturally include oil ports, running on what has been seen in the past days in Basra. This is not the first time that the protests have blocked roads leading to the ports of Basra, the country's only seaport. The blocks prevent the exit and entry of trucks and tanks from and to ports. Baghdad - Agencies