Military action in Iraq’s Karbala claims lives of 18 protestors; curfew declare

Baghdad: In the military action taken against the anti-government protestors in the Karbala city located in southern Iraq, 18 people were killed while 865 injured. The human rights organisations have claimed that at least 250 people were killed in the various measures the military took over the last month. On the other hand, the demonstrators in Iraq have accused the Mahdi government of ignoring their demands.

The protests against the Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi have entered the fifth week. The protestors are accusing the Mahdi government of being the most corrupt. The level of unemployment is rising in Iraq and the civic infrastructure has collapsed because of the Mahdi government, which is working under directions from Iran. At the same time, the protestors have alleged that the influence of Iran and its affiliated groups is growing in Iran.

On the sidelines of the developments, the protestors have demanded Prime Minister Mahdi’s resignation. However, Mahdi dismissed the demands and ordered the military to open fire at the protestors. After receiving orders from Mahdi, 18 people were killed in the police firing in the city of Karbala on Monday. A total of 72 people were claimed to have been killed in Karbala alone in the last week while more than 150 were killed in the first two weeks of this month.

The Iraqi agencies have claimed that the Police opened fire as the protestors had violated the curfew imposed in Karbala. Furthermore, after acting on the protestors in Karbala, the Iraqi government imposed a curfew in the capital city of Baghdad and is the third time a curfew was imposed over Baghdad in the last month. Mahdi is said to have imposed the curfew in Baghdad fearing the reverberations of the action in Karbala venting in Baghdad.

Moreover, the claims of Iran interfering in Iraqi political affairs is gaining ground due to the protests.