Thousands of Iraqi demonstrators, the majority of whom are university students, schools, and civil society activists, flocked yesterday to the demonstration yards and sit-in centers in Baghdad and nine other provinces, to confirm their demands for a change in the political process and the appointment of an independent prime minister who is not subject to the blocs and ruling parties.
The demonstrators are seeking this week to expand their protest demonstrations and control new roads and squares against the backdrop of delaying the nomination of a candidate to form the new government, and reports that the Iraqi armed factions intend to come out with millions of demonstrations led by the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr, aiming to demand the exit of American forces from Iraq. Calm has returned to Baghdad's Al-Senak Square after a wave of violence between protesters and security forces killed two people and more than 35 wounded, but witnesses told the German News Agency (dpa) that the protesters in Tahrir Square intend to control the Muhammad al-Qasim bridge for rapid traffic, which is currently closed. For maintenance purposes, to expand the protest area. According to witnesses, demonstrators called for the city of Najaf to expand the demonstration area starting today, by closing roads, bridges, government buildings, universities, schools and bridges.
The demonstrators in Babel governorate issued a statement against the backdrop of the political blocs' nomination of a candidate to form the new government, calling for measures to be taken starting at dawn today, including the closure of its bridges, revolution, rare and intersection of roads and streets, and inviting community groups to go out in demonstrations to support the demonstrators in the protest and sit-in square.
The demonstrators of Dhi Qar Governorate distributed a map to cut off the roads and internal and external bridges linking Dhi Qar and the neighboring governorates in separate areas, allowing only the passage of emergency cases and the movement of security forces, and intensifying their presence in the central demonstration square in Al Haboubi.
And security sources in Karbala announced the arrest of five people who tried to set fire to buildings and public properties, noting the deployment of forces to strengthen security and prevent acts of violence and sabotage.
In addition, Iraqi President Barham Saleh said that Iraq would not be a launching pad for attacking any of the neighboring countries or would be a battleground for settling scores, stressing Iraq’s keenness to be the main pillar for bringing together brothers and friends in order to achieve common interests and enhance peace and security in the region. And the world.
Saleh stressed the necessity of consolidating the foundations of peace and stability in the region and avoiding them from the futility of wars and conflicts that drain human and material energies, and hinging on the language of serious and frank dialogue to deal with crises.