- Title: Death toll climbs as Iraqi protests escalate for third day
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: AMBULANCE DRIVING TO HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "We are Iraqis and we are calling for our rights, this is all we want. We want an occupation and a job that would bring good to us. What have you done to us? We have elected you into power for a day like this? You have pushed us backwards and the religious clerks are corrupt." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN JILANI SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "We are calling on the Security Council and every honourable person in the world to intervene in Iraq and to start new elections. They have no legitimacy and they have not come lawfully. They forced their way into [power] using the parties." INJURED PROTESTERS / PROTESTER CHANTING (Arabic): "DOWN WITH PARTIES" PROTESTER HOLDING BULLET / SOUND OF GUNFIRE / SMOKE PLUMES RISING POLICE HUMVEES POLICE FIRING TEARGAS AND GUNSHOTS PROTESTERS RUNNING / POLICE FIRING / BLACK SMOKE RISING PROTESTERS WALKING / SOUND OF GUNFIRE DEBRIS / PROTESTERS CARRYING FLAGS PROTESTERS RUNNING FROM TEAR GAS PROTESTERS RAISING ARMS UP IN THE AIR, FACING POLICE PROTESTERS RUNNING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "The bullets do not scare us. They do not scare Iraqis. This will all come down over their heads." PROTESTERS WALKING TOWARDS POLICE / SOUND OF GUNFIRE PROTESTERS THROWING BACK TEAR GAS CANISTERS / MARCHING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING PROTESTERS / POLICE FIRING / SOUND OF GUNFIRE
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 17:01
- Keywords: iraq protests protesters gunfire tear gas injured protesters police fire
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA003AZJNR5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Police and gunmen exchanged fire on Thursday (October 3) as nationwide anti-government protests in Iraq escalated into one of the worst security challenges in years.
At least 20 people have been killed since the protests erupted three days ago, seemingly independent of any organised political party and taking the security forces by surprise.
Police said protesters carrying guns had fired at them in the town of Rifae on Thursday morning, near the southern city of Nassiriya where seven people died overnight. Fifty people were wounded in Rifae, including five policemen, they said, adding to hundreds already injured across the country.
Clashes in another southern city, Amara, killed four people overnight.
A curfew, lifted early in the morning in southern cities, was reimposed immediately in Nassiriya and later in Amara.
In Baghdad, the authorities attempted to head off protests by imposing a curfew from 5 a.m. Troops patrolled main roads and public spaces, but by morning sporadic demonstrations had begun, and troops opened fire with live rounds to disperse them.
The demonstrations began in Baghdad on Tuesday (October 1) and quickly grew and spread to other cities, mainly in Iraq's south. Police have fired live rounds, tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.
(Production: Haider Kadhem, Maher Nazeh, Mostafa Salem) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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