Crowds flood toward the Green Zone to protest the election results
Shafaq News/ Demonstrators protesting the election results are marching the streets of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, heading towards the heavily fortified Green Zone, since noon today, Saturday.
Shafaq News Agency correspondent said that the demonstrators are flooding toward the Green Zone gate through the roads of al-Khallani square, al-Sanak, al-Jumhoriyah.
"No bridges or roads were blocked near the Green Zone. The security forces only shifted the course of traffic," a security source said.
At least a person perished, and 346 were injured in clashes between the demonstrators and the security forces near the entrances of the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.
Protests against the results of Iraq's recent parliamentary election turned violent on Friday, with hundreds of supporters of pro-Iran political groups clashing with security forces in the capital Baghdad near the heavily fortified Green Zone.
Supporters of the pro-Iranian groups, which suffered large losses in the polls, threw stones at security forces, which in turn fired tear gas and live rounds in the air to disperse the crowds.
The clashes erupted late on Friday when hundreds of demonstrators, divided into several groups, tried to cross Al-Jumhuriya Bridge, which leads to the Green Zone.
A second group tried to cross a suspension bridge leading to the Green Zone from an opposing side but were prevented from doing so by security forces.
Footage broadcast on pro-Iran channels on the messaging app Telegram showed security forces firing tear gas and burning trees near the Green Zone to prevent the angry mob from advancing.
In an attempt to quell the situation, several political leaders, including Ammar al-Hakim, leader of al-Hikma movement; Haider al-Abadi, the former prime minister; Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization; and Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq - called for calm.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, on Saturday instructed establishing an advanced headquarters to secure the gathering of the demonstrators protesting the election results in the aftermath of yesterday's violent clashes downtown Baghdad.
A statement by the Joint Operations Command said that the headquarters will be run by a senior officer, in addition to a group of officers representing several security agencies, including al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces-PMF).
The Joint Operations Command urged the demonstrators to practice their freedom of expression within the framework of the constitution and the security forces to exhibit self-restraint, professionalism, and commitment to human rights.
