Leaderless Iraqis are courageously rising against Iran as eight people died and at least 90 were wounded on Thursday in renewed clashes in central Baghdad. It was the most violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in recent days.
Separately, one policeman was killed and six others wounded when an IED exploded in northeast Baghdad, security officials said. Most likely detonated by Iran to divide and conquer the Iraqi people.
One person was killed when security forces hurled sound bombs at crowds of protesters on the strategic Sinak bridge late Thursday.
Earlier clashes had erupted on Baghdad’s Rasheed Street, a cultural center known for its old crumbling buildings; as well on the Ahrar bridge. Security forces fired live ammunition, tear gas and sound bombs to disperse dozens of protesters. Their action the pro-Iranian Iraqi government ordered caused the fatalities.
IRAN: GET OUT!
Dozens of demonstrators had attacked the Iranian consulate in Karbala earlier in November by scaling its concrete barriers. They rejected the influence of the neighboring country in Iraqi affairs.
Protesters have been occupying parts of Baghdad’s three main bridges — Sinak and Ahrar and Jumurhiya — leading to the heavily fortified Green Zone, the seat of Iraq’s government. Security forces have deployed on the other side to repel them from entering the area. The Green Zone houses government buildings and various foreign embassies, including the United States.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
The Iraqi forces killed two protesters when tear gas canisters struck them. One they killed by live ammunition during the clashes in Rasheed street. Further, they killed four protesters in fighting near Ahrar and Sinak bridges early Thursday.
Fighting also resumed overnight in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, between protesters and security forces.
Demonstrators have set up tents under the bridges and also on central Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protest movement, where first-aid volunteers treat those wounded by pieces of exploded tear gas canisters and live fire.
LIVE AMMUNITION
One volunteer, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisal, said:
Around 1:30 a.m., the shooting started with live ammunition, tear gas and sound grenades.
The volunteer said there were deaths and several injured people with bullet wounds and breathing difficulties.
In Karbala, protesters threw crudely made fire bombs, also known as Molotov cocktails, at security forces while anti-riot police responded by throwing stones at protesters.
The Iraqi government, on orders from Iran, killed at least 320 protesters and wounded thousands since the unrest began on Oct. 1. It started when demonstrators took to the streets in Baghdad and across Iraq’s mainly Shiite south to decry rampant government corruption and lack of basic services despite Iraq’s oil wealth.
The leaderless movement seeks to dismantle the sectarian system and unseat the government. To include the corrupt Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
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