Death toll climbs to at least 27 in Iraq on third day of protests- police, medics
Record ID:
1434896
Death toll climbs to at least 27 in Iraq on third day of protests- police, medics
- Title: Death toll climbs to at least 27 in Iraq on third day of protests- police, medics
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) PROTESTERS GATHERED ON STREETS, FIRE BURNING VARIOUS OF POLICE VEHICLE ON FIRE PROTESTERS WALKING, FIRE BURNING AMBULANCE ARRIVING PROTESTERS GATHERED ON STREETS, FIRE BURNING IN TAYARAN SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, NAME NOT PROVIDED, SAYING: "They are shooting live fire at the Iraqi people and the revolutionaries. We can cross the bridge and take them out of the Green Zone. (Prime Minister Adel) Abdul Mahdi, they will cross the bridge. You better resign. Resign. The people demand the fall of the regime. The people demand the fall of the regime" / PROTESTERS CHANTING (Arabic): '' The people demand the fall of the regime" STREET IN DARKNESS, FIRES BURNING AND TORCHES FROM MOBILE PHONES (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) VARIOUS OF AMBULANCE DRIVING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) PROTESTERS CHANTING
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 18:48
- Keywords: Iraq Baghdad protests gunfire
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZJNXHJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Iraqi security forces opened fire on thousands of demonstrators who defied a curfew in Baghdad on Thursday (October 3) and exchanged fire with gunmen in a southern city, killing two people on the third day of nationwide anti-government protests.
The protests, in which at least 27 have now been killed and over 600 wounded, began over unemployment and poor services but have escalated into calls for a change of government and pose one of the worst security challenges in years.
They appear to be independent of any political party and seemingly took the security forces by surprise.
At least 4,000 protesters gathered in Baghdad's Tayaran Square and attempted to march onto the central Tahrir Square only to be met with open fire and heavy tear gas.
Police used live ammunition in the Zaafaraniya district of Baghdad, where a protester was shot dead, and there were protests in the northwestern Shula district.
Police said protesters had fired at them in the town of Rifaen near the southern city of Nassiriya where seven people were killed overnight and one more was killed on Thursday. Fifty people were wounded in Rifae, including five police, they said.
(Production: Maher Nazeh, Mostafa Salem) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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