One Of The Deadliest Days Of Protests At Least 25 Killed In Nasiriya

(Al Mirbad)

Dhi Qar has consistently had the most confrontations between the protesters and the security forces (ISF). On November 28 things exploded there in one of the deadliest days since the unrest started in October.

Things began with the security forces attempting to clear Nasiriya’s bridges, but things quickly escalated. For the past few days demonstrators blocked off the main bridges in the city crossing the Euphrates. On November 28, the ISF moved to open those two spans. The use of live ammunition and tear gas led to 25 deaths. The angry crowd burned a police station in retaliation, and Baghdad sent reinforcements to the city. More might have died later in the night. Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi removed the head of the brand new Dhi Qar crisis cell that had just been announced that day upon request of Governor Adel Dukhaili. The governor then resigned himself over the violence. In Total, from November 27-28 32 people had been killed by the security forces in Nasiriya. This was one of the deadliest days for protesters. It was also one of the few times a politician stepped down because of the violence used.

Baghdad has gotten the majority of media coverage of the protests, but Dhi Qar has been a flashpoint for the unrest since the start. The government building twice and the Badr, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, Dawa, Hikma, Sarya Khorasani, Sayid al-Shuhada, Imam Ali Brigade, and various agencies’ offices, along with the governor’s home were burned. That led members of the Hashd to fire into crowds. Various politicians have had their residences attacked. Major roads and bridges have been cut off. This reflected the anger of the demonstrators against the political establishment and elements of the Hashd. Dozens of people have been killed and even more wounded in these actions, but November 28 was the worst day for casualties in the province. Killing people has been counterproductive because the government hasn’t unleashed enough violence to clear the streets, and instead just creates more hatred at the authorities. It is a condemnation of the government that it has used these tactics and killed over 300 people in response to the public asking for change.

SOURCES

Al-Aalem, “Sources: Transfer of minor detainees from Muthanna airport to juvenile prisons in Baghdad,” 11/25/19

Aboulenein, Ahmed, “At least 27 killed as fresh protests engulf Iraq,” Reuters, 10/25/19

AIN, “Abdul Mahdi decides to withdraw the head of the crisis cell in Dhi Qar at the request of its governor,” 11/28/19

- “Dhi Qar tribes open Baghdad-Basra road and some other vital rods in the province,” 11/28/19

Baghdad Post, “Demonstrators burn the building of the task force regiment in the city of Nasiriyah,” 11/28/19

- “Eight demonstrators killed and more than 45 injured in clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Nasiriyah,” 11/28/19

BBC, “Iraq unrest: Nearly 40 killed in fresh wave of protests,” 11/28/19

Al Forat, “Urgent Burning Dhi Qar Provincial Council Building,” 10/25/19

Al Ghad Press, “In pictures .. Demonstrators block the road linking Nasiriya and southern areas,” 11/21/19

Human Rights Watch, “Iraq: Lethal Force Used Against Protesters,” 10/10/19

Al Hurra, “For the fifth day..Continued deaths in demonstrations in Iraq,” 10/5/19

- “Iraq .. Governor of Dhi Qar announced his resignation in protest against the massacre in Nasiriya,” 11/28/19

- “Massacres in Iraq follow the burning of the Iranian consulate .. And black enveloping Nasiriya,” 11/28/19

Iraq Newspaper, “Now Heavy Fire Near The Area In The Center Of Baghdad And The Burning Of the Badr And Dawa And Qais Al-Khazali And Jihad And Construction In Najaf, Maysan, Karbala, Dhi Qar And Maysan,” 10/2/19

Kullab, Samya and Faraj, Murtada, “13 dead in 1 of the ‘worst’ days of protest in southern Iraq,” Associated Press, 11/24/19

Al Mirbad, “Dhi Qar Health to Al Mirbad: There are wounded near the headquarters of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq,” 10/5/19

- “Wounded in front of Badr Organization headquarters in Dhi Qar,” 10/5/19

Nas News, “List of headquarters of the factions burned in Dhi Qar: 5 offices belonging to 4 forces,” 10/25/19

Nasiriya TV, “The burning of the house of a member of parliament Zainab al-Khazraji in Shatrah,” 11/5/19

- “Burning the house of Dhi Qar Council member Rajah Matroud in Shatrah,” 11/5/19

- “Burning the house of MP Naji al-Saidi in Shatrah,” 11/5/19

- “Burning the house of the member of parliament Mona al-Ghorabi in Shatrah,” 11/5/19

- “Riots and burning tires in the streets of the city of Shatrah,” 10/30/19

Rasheed, Ahmed, Aboulenein, Ahmed, “Gunfights rage in southern Iraq, protests spread nationwide,” Reuters, 10/2/19

Reuters, “Iraq sets up military-led ‘crisis cells’ to quell mass unrest – statement,” 11/28/19

Shafaaq News, “Protesters try to storm a university in Dhi Qar and burn it,” 11/21/19

Sotaliraq, “The sit-in closes the Nasiriya refinery and more than 30 government institutions,” 11/12/19

Al Sumaria, “Protesters besiege the house of mayor of Gharaf district north of Dhi Qar,” 11/12/19

- “Set fire to the resident of the governor of Dhi Qar,” 10/26/19