Saturday: 19 Iraqis Killed, 33 Wounded, Hundreds Possibly Beaten
The casualty figures from yesterday’s protests continued to rise today as reports trickled out from a number of cities across Iraq; however, the most chilling news came from Baghdad were hundreds of protestors may be detained and suffering from beatings. At least 19 Iraqis were killed and 33 more wounded besides those rumored beaten during arrests. Also, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani asked the government to improve services and combat corruption, while Human Rights Watch called for an investigation into the illegal use of force by security personnel.
A possible explanation for the low estimate of wounded yesterday comes from four journalists who saw many wounded detainees inside a Defense Ministry prison in Baghdad yesterday. The four journalists, who were beaten and arrested as well, used their connections to gain freedom and then reported encountering at least 300 other Iraqis who were detained after the protests. Many of them were bloodied and blindfolded and unable to alert anyone to their predicament. At least two other journalists were beaten.
Elsewhere in Baghdad, a university professor was assassinated in Saidiya. A bomb wounded two soldiers.
Four bodies were discovered in Kirkuk.
Gunmen stormed an oil refinery in Baiji, killing four employees before setting it on fire.
In Suleimaniya, a bomb killed two protestors and wounded at least 10 others today. Earlier, protestors and police clashed, but no casualties were reported.
Two people were killed in Qobaisa during protests.
In Ramadi, two more people died from injuries received during yesterday’s demonstrations. Eight were wounded.
An additional death from yesterday’s demonstrations was reported in Falluja where a 60-year-old man died.
A 15-year-old protestor died in Kalar, the only city in Diyala province to have reported any casualties in protests.
Two protestors died in Samarra.
Four protest organizers were arrested in Tikrit and ominously relocated to Baghdad. At least seven more protestors were wounded in previously reported demonstrations.
Read more by Margaret Griffis
- Nine Killed As Iraqi President Demands End to Political Squabbles – May 26th, 2012
- Iraqi Political Coalitions Still Fighting over Maliki’s Right To Lead – May 25th, 2012
- Talabani Threatens To Resign over Political Tensions – May 24th, 2012
- Iraq Bus Bombing Kills Lebanese and Iranian Pilgrims – May 23rd, 2012
- 14 Iraqis Killed As National Alliance Is Asked To Select A Replacement PM – May 22nd, 2012
Jamal
February 27th, 2011 at 10:41 am
2-Continue: Emporia needs to blame and lie, that is in his/her system, if it didn’t the system will become sick and collapse, yet the system doing just that. Iraq is yet another creation of capitalism where its social problems was deliberately created by US and English bombarding Iraq, this was not about Saddam Hussein nor the Iranian influence but rather the politics played by those whom are paid by capitalism to play with peoples life and not willing having any peace. Dividing people is yet another tool used by capitalism, Iraq is yet another example of the idea, meanwhile peoples wealth been stolen by Norwegians, English, American or Swedish oil companies living people with nothing, here only Ahmad Chalabi and elements like him get richer. There is no such thing as a functioning democracy exist in Iraq nor in Iran nor in US and or many EU countries, there is but is in accordance with other laws which prohibits democracy to flourish.
Jamal
February 27th, 2011 at 10:42 am
3-Generals in Iraq or Afghanistan and around the world are just another solder working for the system keeping it dangled for the time., they all know that the system is dying , and is not because we say so, is rather the system itself killing it, one of the reasons for that is the wars from 1960s that US been crating , the other is, for the system observing the fact that is not winnable no matter how hard they try and is costing the system ”Peoples” money. Their last try was invading Iraq for its oil and occupying the entire middle east and Persian gulf with help from Israel. Here.., Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearl, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Dick Cheney and EU – England would dominate the oil market and its production which would give them the world economic dominance ; therefore, the emperor needed to lie about WMD to show that is “their” fault and therefore emporia is at war all the time.
thedissenter
February 27th, 2011 at 11:48 am
The tragic irony of Iraq. That war criminal illegally invades that poor country under the guise of 'spreading democracy' to them (among many other excuses). They destroy the country, pillage their oil reserve, massacre over 1.4 million innocents, displace several million more and 10 years later, the good and battered people of Iraq take matters into their own hands and demand their freedom and democracy. What a travesty! That warmonger and his cabal should be tried and charged with at least 1.4 million counts of crimes against humanity.
Jamal
February 27th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
I love to hear from you again.. aman brother.