58 Injured, 1 Killed During New Riots in Baghdad’s Green Zone

nsnbc : Iraq’s steep descend into chaos on the breakdown of the national State continues. Friday protesters loyal to the Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and circles around former PM Al-Maliki stormed the highly secured Green Zone of Baghdad again. 58 were injured and one was killed when security forces opened fire on the rioting protesters, using teargas, batons and live ammunition to disperse the crowds.

Baghdad protests_Iraq_May 2016Hundreds of protesters stormed the so-called Green Zone, the highly secured governmental and administrative zone in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The protesters, who unite under slogans against corruption and for a change of cabinet ministers are largely loyal to the pro-Iranian Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and circles around the former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Malaki.

The crowds began withdrawing from the Green Zone Friday evening after they broke into the restricted area in the afternoon and staged protests for about two hours. The area houses parliament, ministries, administrative buildings as well as foreign embassies. Following the violent clashes and the dispersal of the crowd, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command proclaimed that security forces again are in full control of the Green Zone after the “unfortunate events”.

A source located in Baghdad informed nsnbc international that Sadr followers may have received help from inside the Green Zone while crossing the security barriers on Jamhouriyah Bridge and while breaching the main gate of the Green Zone even though security forces began opening fire on the approaching crowd. The protesters managed to enter the Prime Ministry, including the offices of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Baghdad’s Joint Operations Command, responsible for security in the capital announced a curfew in Baghdad city until further notice while security forces intensify security measures, increase the number of security forces in and around the Green Zone and at the main roads in and out of Baghdad. The protests began last month over disputes about failed reforms and disagreements about a reshuffle of the Cabinet.

In 2013 the country became the target of ISIS attacks via the Saudi and the Turkish border while the northern, predominantly Kurdish region of Iraq is increasingly breaking away from the central administration. The crisis in the country is widely perceived as a geopolitical crisis that involves international and regional powers including the USA and Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as Turkey and Israel.

F/AK – nsnbc 21.05.2016

Related background article:

Iraq on the Verge of Collapse after Storming of Parliament

Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/05/21/58-injured-1-killed-during-new-riots-in-baghdads-green-zone/

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