Four protesters were shot dead by live bullets during clashes with the security forces in Iraq yesterday, and the security forces launched a campaign to burn the tents of sit-ins at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, while the coordinating committee of the demonstrations attacked the position of the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, by withdrawing his supporters from the protest areas.

In detail, a protester was killed in Baghdad, and three others in the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, with live bullets, according to medical sources, during clashes with security forces that started, in the morning, to reopen the streets that were closed by the demonstrators, and correspondents of Agence France-Presse reported that the authorities Iraqiya reopened its squares and streets in Baghdad and southern cities, after a large demonstration called by Muqtada al-Sadr in Baghdad, to demand the exit of American forces from Iraq, and then announced that he stopped supporting the demonstrations demanding.

Eyewitnesses told the German News Agency (dpa) that the Iraqi forces launched a campaign to burn the tents of sit-ins at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, explaining that the flames and clouds of thick black smoke covered the place of the demonstration linking Al-Khilani and Al-Tahrir Square, amid the shouts of the demonstrators "in spirit in blood" We redeem you, Iraq. ”And a heavy deployment of the Iraqi forces that chased the demonstrators.

Clashes continued between the demonstrators and the security forces in Al-Wathba Square, where the security forces used live bullets and tear gas to pursue the demonstrators, who used stones in the face of the security forces, and the Rafidain Bank branch building in Tahrir Square was burned out.

Yesterday, the Coordinating Committee for the demonstrations in Iraq attacked Muqtada Al-Sadr's position by withdrawing his supporters from the protest areas in Baghdad and other provinces, and described it as "shameful and treacherous." Muqtada and his supporters do not bet on our impatience and the end of our revolution.

The committee added: "Stay in the squares until the goals of the revolution are achieved, and we will not fail the blood of the martyrs, and they will not be a paper on the table of political trading as Sadr did, what he did is shame and betrayal of the revolutionaries, and the price will be to lead the next government as promised by Iran."

Al-Sadr had given orders to his supporters to leave the demonstration squares in Baghdad and the provinces, which made it easier for the Iraqi forces to storm the demonstration squares, burn the sit-in tents, disperse the protesters and arrest a number of them.

Witnesses reported that Sadr's followers withdrew from the demonstration areas in Karbala and Najaf provinces, raised their tents and left the demonstration areas, while the Iraqi army and riot forces tried to disperse other demonstrators belonging to different groups, most of whom are independent.

The Iraqi authorities reopened squares and streets in Baghdad and southern cities, which was confirmed by the government, and raised the protesters' fears of the expansion of the campaign and the breaking of demand demonstrations that have been going on for nearly four months.

The security forces stormed the protest square in the southern city of Basra, and burned a number of tents and dispersed the demonstrators by force. In Baghdad, the security forces cleared al-Tayaran Square and the Muhammad al-Qasim Highway and the Al-Ahrar Bridge in the center of the capital from the protesters, according to a statement issued by the Baghdad Operations Command.

The demonstrators had closed the Aviation Square and Muhammad al-Qasim Street in eastern Baghdad, since last Monday, in an attempt to pressure the government to implement long-awaited reforms.

The security forces also reopened the Al-Ahrar Bridge, one of the most important bridges that witnessed, during the last period, hit-and-run operations with demonstrators. This bridge connects the Rusafa side to the side of Karkh, where the heavily fortified Green Zone, which includes government headquarters and foreign embassies.

Iraqi security forces stormed Tahrir Square, the main sit-in in Baghdad, and fired tear gas and bullets, and clashes took place after the authorities began removing concrete barriers near the square, where anti-government protesters had been protesting for months.

Security and medical sources said that at least 34 people were injured in clashes between police and protesters in Baghdad, and six others were injured in the southern city of Nasiriyah.

3 French lost in Baghdad

The French non-governmental organization SOS Dorian Doran said that three French citizens and an Iraqi citizen working for them had gone missing in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and no one asked for a ransom to release them. The organization stated that the four disappeared after they went to Baghdad to complete administrative procedures, The Iraqi authorities were informed.

A French Foreign Ministry official said the organization had notified the ministry of the situation and was seeking more information.

Diplomats said that a French journalist was kidnapped last December near the American embassy in Baghdad, but was released after 24 hours, after the French foreign minister intervened with the Prime Minister of Iraq. PARIS - Reuters