Al-Maliki to demonstrators: avoid provoking the security forces

Shafaq News/ The Head of the State of Law Coalition, Nuri al-Maliki, called the protesters who rejected the election results on Friday not to escalate the situation and not attack the security forces.

On Twitter, Al-Maliki called all the protestors "who are demanding their legitimate rights" to follow the legal contexts in demonstrating and avoid provoking the security forces.

"We are with you to meet your legitimate demands and your fairness." He said.

Al-Maliki also asked the security forces to hold responsibilities in protecting the demonstrators and public property and "not to be drawn into a confrontation with their fellow demonstrators."

The head of the State of Law strongly condemned the assault and the use of violence and excessive force from any party, warning against the intervention of "malicious hands and suspicious parties to encourage conflict and mix papers."

An official security source had reported earlier today that 24 of the demonstrators and the security forces were wounded near the heavily fortified Green Zone in the center of the capital, Baghdad.

The source added that the demonstrators threw stones at the security forces, who then fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at the protesters to disperse their crowds.