Sixteen people were killed and 152 others were injured on Thursday during clashes with the security forces in Iraq's southern city of Nasiriyah amid the ongoing mass protests in the country, a source in the the country's High Commission for Human Rights told Sputnik
BAGHDAD (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2019) Sixteen people were killed and 152 others were injured on Thursday during clashes with the security forces in Iraq's southern city of Nasiriyah amid the ongoing mass protests in the country, a source in the the country's High Commission for Human Rights told Sputnik."The death toll among the demonstrators in Nasiriyah has risen to 16, 152 others injured since the early hours of this morning until now as the security forces used live bullets to disperse protesters," the source said.
The source warned that the security situation in Nasiriyah might deteriorate as a result of the excessive use of force against protesters.
Earlier in the day, Iraq's Joint Operations Command announced the formation of "crisis cells," which would be headed by the provinces' governors, to maintain security across the country since the start of unrest in October. Late on Wednesday, the provincial authorities imposed a curfew as dozens of people were injured in the clashes between activists and security forces in Iraq's southern city of Najaf. The demonstrators set the Iranian consulate building on fire.
Iraq has been facing a wave of the anti-government protests since October, which later turned violent and resulted in casualties among civilians. As of now, 350 people were killed and 15,000 others were injured. In November, 66 Iraqi officers stood before trial for excessive use of force against the protesters. The demonstrators are rallying against corruption, low living standards and unemployment.
