Observatory: Mass protests in Iraq left 831 people killed, wounded
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – A Baghdad-based war monitor announced on Sunday that the mass protests in Iraq had left 831 protesters killed and injured over the past 10 days.
Speaking at a press conference, Mostafa Saadon, the spokesman for the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, said, "the clashes between security forces and protesters in Iraq's south and center left 831 people dead and injured since the start of the demonstrations 10 days ago."
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"Iraqi authorities arrested 348 people for taking part in the rallies, 314 of whom were released later after signing a pledge that they will not stage or call for any protests afterwards," Hesam el-Hashemy, a member of the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, said.
Mass demonstrations against unemployment, corruption and poor services spread further across southern Iraqi provinces, prompting Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to rush from a NATO summit in Brussels to Basra to meet with local officials and tribal leaders in a bid to restore calm.
The demonstrations started two weeks ago in Basra province, but they later extended to other cities, including Amara, Nasiriya, Karbala and the Shiite holy city of Najaf. There were also protests in parts of the capital, Baghdad.
Iraqi cleric Sadr plans to order sympathizers to join angry protesters: reports
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is planning to order his supporters to take to the streets and join the angry protesters in their mass demonstrations against unemployment, corruption and poor services in Iraq, a Lebanese newspaper reported Sunday.
According to Lebanon's Al Akhbar newspaper, there is a big possibility that "the Sadrists would join the protesters, particularly after Sadr called on the winning parties in the elections held last May to suspend talks over the new government formation until the protesters' demands are met."
"The winning political parties in the election have to suspend all political dialogues for forming coalitions and until they meet protesters' rightful demands," Sadr wrote on Tweeter Friday in his first public comments on unrest which has swept the south.
Mass demonstrations against unemployment, corruption and poor services spread further across southern Iraqi provinces almost two weeks ago.The demonstrations started in Basra province, but they later extended to other cities, including Amara, Nasiriya, Karbala and the Shiite holy city of Najaf. There were also protests in parts of the capital, Baghdad.
The protests prompted Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to rush from a NATO summit in Brussels to Basra to meet with local officials and tribal leaders in a bid to restore calm.
Al-Sadr's Sairoon coalition won 54 parliamentary seats in the May 12 parliamentary polls, followed by an al-Hashd al-Shaabi-linked coalition (47 seats) and Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's Victory bloc (42 seats), according to the election commission.
Al-Sadr's coalition did not win the majority needed to form a government alone but will play a primary role in selecting the next prime minister.