Four Iraqis, including Two Security Forces Members, Killed by “Unidentified Snipers” during Nationwide Protests

BAGHDAD, (ST)- Over the past days, Iraq has been rocked by protests in different parts of the country over corruption, unemployment and poor public services.

The Iraqi Security Media Cell said on Friday that two members of the Iraqi security forces and two citizens were killed in al-Tayaran Square and Al-Nakheel Mall by “unidentified snipers”.

President Barham Saleh of Iraq and the Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammad al-Halbousi discussed developments regarding the demonstrations, stressing the need to directly start implementing a reform plan to improve the public services and fight corruption.

Saleh and al-Halbousi called for preserving security, abandoning violence and protecting the safety of both demonstrators and security forces members.

 In the same context, the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called on the legislative and judicial authorities to work jointly and cooperate to implement the set plans to achieve the hoped-for reforms.

Earlier on Friday, Abdul Mahdi called for respecting the law and restoring normal life in the Iraqi provinces. He also called on the demonstrators to abandon violence. Abdul Mahdi  asserted the freedom of protesting and expression as well as the legal demands of the protesters, but,  at the same time he condemned subversive activities, which result in human losses.

On its part, the Baghdad Operations Command said on Friday that the situation is under control in all Iraqi provinces.

Spokesman of the Command also said that the Security Forces are protecting the protesters as well as public and private properties against the unidentified violent persons who want to destabilize the country.

Hamda Mustafa