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January 27, 2020

Deadly Crackdown on Iraqi Protests Continue as 100,000s March Against U.S. Military Presence
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In Iraq, security forces and unidentified gunmen attacked
anti-government protesters over the weekend, reportedly killing 12
people and burning protest camps in Baghdad and the southern city of
Nasiriyah.

Protester: "Unidentified men came from that direction in four large
vehicles and two other cars and started firing randomly at protesters. I
was in my car, and my son was sitting beside me. The bullets hit the
car, came though car's windshield, out through the rear glass."

Up to 600 protesters have been killed since the demonstrations erupted
in October. Protesters say the latest crackdown came after popular Shia
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced Friday he would no longer support the
anti-government demonstrations. Earlier on Friday, 200,000 people took
part in a march in Baghdad supported by al-Sadr, demanding the U.S.
withdraw troops from Iraq following the assassination of General
Soleimani at Baghdad International Airport.


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