1 dead in bombing attack in al-Rasheed area
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) A police source revealed that a civilian was killed, while five others were wounded in a bomb blast, near a popular market, south of Baghdad, Alsumaria News reported on Saturday.
The source said, “An improvised explosive device, emplaced near a popular market in al-Rasheed area, south of Baghdad exploded, at noon today, killing a civilian and wounding five others.”
“Security forces cordoned off the area of incident, while ambulances transferred the wounded to a nearby hospital and the bodies to the forensic medicine department,” the source added on condition of anonymity.
Noteworthy, Baghdad is witnessing several suicide attacks using booby-trapped vehicles and suicide vests, as well as separate attacks against civilians and security forces.
Iraqi kop dies in pro Tater protests
Police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from getting too close to the Green Zone, witnesses said, choking about two dozen demonstrators, according to the organizers of the protest.
Bursts of gunfire were also heard but it was not clear where they came from.
Sadr’s supporters stormed the Green Zone last year after violent clashes with security forces.
An interior ministry statement said guns and knives were found on some protesters.
Sadr issued a statement saying the demonstration was peaceful and accused the police of using excessive force.
He said his supporters wanted to get near the Green Zone to make their voices heard by decision makers, and had no intention of storming it again. Sadr asked the protesters to “withdraw until further notice”.
Television footage showed young men, many holding Iraqi flags and covering their faces, running away as smoke filled Tahrir Square.
Sadr suspects that members of the electoral commission are loyal to his Shi’ite rival, former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, one of the closest allies of Iran in Iraq.
Sadr is openly hostile to American presence and policies in the Middle East and, at the same time, he has a troubled relationship with Iraqi political groups allied with Iran.
A political commentator close to Abadi, Ihsan al-Shammari, told Reuters the protests were ill-timed but would not affect the U.S.-backed military campaign on Mosul.
“The protests don’t affect the ongoing military preparations to retake Mosul, but the problem is that, at this time, they are disturbing the security situation,” he said.
Iraqi forces last month completed the first phase of the Mosul offensive that started in October, by dislodging the militants from the eastern side of the city. They are now preparing to attack the part that lies west of the Tigris river.
4 die in Green Zone festivities
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Governor of Baghdad Ali al-Tamimi announced on Saturday, that four protestors were killed, and 320 others were wounded in the demonstrations that took place, today, at Baghdad’s Green Zone, while called on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to order investigation into the incident.
Tamimi said in a press statement, “Today, the capital, Baghdad, witnessed a peaceful demonstration, and there were obvious cooperation between security forces and protestors,” pointing out that, “Some demonstrators tried to break the peaceful atmosphere, so security forces fired tear gas and live bullets, killing some protesters and injuring hundreds.”
“The final outcome reached 4 martyrs and 320 wounded, including 79 injured with live bullets,” Tamimi added.
Tamimi also denounced attacking the demonstrators, and called on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to form a committee to investigate using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.