Escalation of violence in Wasit Governorate

Shafaq News/ The death toll linked to Wasit’s anti-government protests have risen to three at a time government imposes curfew after protests escalate. A security source reported

The source told Shafaq News Agency “A Third protester died in Baghdad on Saturday after being struck by a tear gas canister,” Adding “the authorities imposed a curfew on social gatherings and other non-essential activities in the governorate seeking to avert a night of violence.”

The city of Kut turned into a confrontation between riot police and protesters, where Iraqi security forces cleared out sit-in tents.

Earlier, A protester died after being run over by a car of riot police in the Governorate, southern Iraq. A Hospital source reported.

The source told Shafaq News Agency, "A protester died and another wounded after being run over in the city of Kut, the center of Wasit governorate."

Also, Hussein Kata’a, a protester died after setting himself alights.

Police still fight running battles with protesters in the city center. He added.

Last month Iraqi security forces cleared out sit-in tents in multiple Governorates including Baghdad’s Tahrir square, which became a symbol of anti-government protests during months-long mass unrest last year.

Iraq’s biggest anti-government protests in decades broke out in October 2019 and continued for several months, with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis demanding jobs, services and the removal of the ruling elite, which they said was corrupt. Nearly 500 people were killed. The protests caused the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who took office in May, has pledged to hold a parliamentary election, in line with a demand of many pro-democracy activists.