MESOPOTAMIA NEWS : ONGOING STREET PROTESTS IN IRAQ – Protesters Return to Streets in Baghdad and Other Iraqi Provinces

Basnews English 2021/03/02 – 12:16 Iraq  – 2 March 2021 – ERBIL — Protesters returned on Tuesday to the streets in Baghdad, Qadisiyah, and Missan provinces to support the anti-government demonstrations in Dhi Qar.

Local reports said the security forces clashed with the protesters after attempting to disperse the gathering in Kahramana Square of Baghdad.

This comes a week after seven people were killed during a massive protest in Dhi Qar.

Back then, BasNews reported that over 200 people, including protesters and security personnel, were wounded as the result of violence.

British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hickey last Saturday condemned the violence and said there is no justification for using live fire against protesters.

The Iraqi forces’ deadly response to the protests was also denounced by the United Nations’s Assistance Mission for Iraq.

Anti-government protests in Iraq first broke out in October 2019, when people took to the streets to protest unemployment, corruption, and lack of public services.