A demonstrator died of his wounds in protests in Baghdad on Tuesday, as the Interior Ministry announced the arrest of what it called "saboteurs" in the capital.
The news agency quoted "AFP" medical sources, as saying that the demonstrator died after being shot by rubber, in clashes occurred on Rashid Street near the bridge Ahrar in central Baghdad.
In turn, the agency quoted "Associated Press" Iraqi officials that 21 people were injured during clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Protesters are forced to be present in parts of Baghdad's three main bridges - the Republic, the Liberals and the Sunk - as clashes with security forces continue.
In another context, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said that were arrested saboteurs who tried to burn shops in central Baghdad.
The spokesman for the Iraqi Interior Ministry Khalid al-Muhanna, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that they will be issued judicial orders against them soon.
He added that "the central government stresses the need to provide protection and preservation of property and lives of citizens, and to prevent saboteurs trying to attack the citizens' funds and private and public buildings."
He said that "the Ministry of Interior is making great efforts to secure peaceful demonstrations in Baghdad and the provinces, despite some attempts by some groups to attack the police forces."
But the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Iraq confirmed in a series of statements, that the security forces used "excessive force" to suppress the protests in Iraq since the beginning of last October.
The country is still experiencing the largest wave of protests since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, which has killed at least 330 people since the unrest began in Baghdad and the south of the country, in early October.
Protesters are demanding the overthrow of the political elite, which they say is corrupt and serves foreign powers, while many Iraqis live in poverty without jobs, health care or education.
0 Comments