By Victoria Hudson.
Demonstrators in Iraq reinstalled their tents that were burned across the country to continue their protests, amid fears of an escalation following a missile attack on the American embassy in Baghdad.
The attack, which resulted in the injury of at least one person, was a serious change in the series of attacks that have affected US interests in recent months, according to Agence France-Presse. No one has claimed responsibility, but the Washington accused armed factions loyal to Iran, raising fears that the country will become an arena for settling scores between Tehran and Washington.
Anti-government activists state that a similar conflict will end their protest movement, which has been the largest in Iraq for decades, as they call early elections under a new electoral law, an independent Prime Minister and accountability for corrupt officials and those who have ordered the use of violence against demonstrators.
Earlier on Monday, a protester was shot dead in the city of Nasiriyah, according to AFP, as unidentified gunmen stormed the central square of the anti-government protests and burned the tents of the demonstrators.
The night between Sunday and Monday, unknown gunmen in four vehicles stormed and burned the tents of the protesters in Al-Haboubi Square in the center of Nasiriyah, a correspondent of France Press said adding that a protester was killed and four others were wounded by live bullets. As a result of the attack hours later protesters responded by closing two major bridges in the city, 350 km south of Baghdad.
The Shiite holy city of Najaf witnessed a similar attack, during which unidentified gunmen burned the tents of protesters in the square in city center, according to an AFP correspondent. Ambassadors of 16 countries, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, condemned in a joint statement issued on Monday "excessive and deadly use of force by Iraqi security forces and armed factions against peaceful demonstrators", calling on the government to respect the freedoms of assembly and the right to peaceful protest in accord with Iraqi constitution.
Comments
Post a Comment