Thousands of protesters clashed with riot police in Iraq's capital and across the south on Thursday, the third day of mass rallies that have left 28 dead. Defying curfews, tear gas and live rounds, they gathered by truckfuls to vent their anger against corruption, unemployment and poor services
1 / 4The tension has been exacerbated by a near-total internet shutdown, closure of government offices and at least one overnight explosionThe tension has been exacerbated by a near-total internet shutdown, closure of government offices and at least one overnight explosion Baghdad - Thousands of protesters clashed with riot police in Iraq's capital and across the south on Thursday, the third day of mass rallies that have left 28 dead.
Riot police and army troops fired at the ground from automatic weapons mounted on military vehicles, the bullets ricocheting into the crowd."Why do the police shoot at Iraqis like them? They suffer like us -- they should help and protect us," said protester Abu Jaafar. Later in the day, two protestors and a police officer were killed in Diwaniyah, 150 kilometres south of Baghdad, and a curfew was subsequently imposed.Rallies began Tuesday in Baghdad but have since spread across the mainly Shiite south, including the provinces of Dhi Qar, Missan, Najaf, Basra, Wasit and Babylon.Story continuesThe Kurdish northern regions and Sunni western provinces, meanwhile, have remained relatively calm.
Sadr was behind the last round of major protests in Baghdad in 2016, when his supporters stormed the Green Zone, home to some ministries and embassies. "It is outrageous that Iraqi security forces time and again deal with protesters with such brutality using lethal and unnecessary force," said Amnesty's Lynn Maalouf.
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