- Title: Iraqi protests escalate against Iran-backed bloc nominee for PM
- Date: 29th December 2019
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (DECEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CARRYING IRAQI FLAGS AND PLACARDS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND CHANTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: ''We are not protesting against the Prime Minister, if we were then we would have ended our demonstration. But we have been from the very beginning protesting against the political parties. We want services, we want the government to help the private sector so that engineers, which I am going to be one of in the near future, and others can work in it, instead of being labourers or opening small stalls.'' NAJAF, IRAQ (DECEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING IN STREETS IN NAJAF PROTESTERS CHANTING (Arabic): ''We will continue our protests, till every corrupt politician gets out'' PROTESTERS CHANTING (Arabic): "Hadi and Khanjar, our square is the biggest bloc.'' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: ''The election law which is our most important demand has been passed. But this is in vain unless we conduct early elections in order to get rid of this parliament.'' HEALTH WORKERS PROTESTING AND CHANTING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING
- Embargoed: 12th January 2020 11:42
- Keywords: Iraq Protests prime minister students
- Location: BAGHDAD AND NAJAF, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD AND NAJAF, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001BC12WXZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of Iraqi demonstrators took to the streets in Baghdad and Najaf on Sunday (December 29) protesting the nomination of an Iran-backed bloc nominee for prime minister.
Students marched under giant Iraqi flags in Baghdad, with protesters calling for an improved economy and improved services, demanding an overhaul of a corrupt political system which they say keeps many Iraqis in poverty.
In Najaf, anti-corruption slogans were chanted by groups of demonstrators, as well as warnings to the leaders of the Iran-backed bloc in parliament.
More than 450 people, mostly demonstrators but also some members of the security forces, have been killed since a wave of popular unrest began on October 1.
Iraqi President Barham Salih refused on Thursday (December 26) to accept the nominee of an Iran-backed parliamentary bloc as prime minister, saying he would rather resign than appoint someone to the position who would be rejected by protesters.
(Production: Maher Nazer, Ahmed Saeed, Mohammed Katfan) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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