Thousands participated in Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Friday sit-in. The demonstrators forced their way through barricades and even cut barbed wire to reach the walls of the Green Zone. The sit-in is expected to last several days. However, some of those calling for change are unhappy that the cleric co-opted the original reform movement.
At least 144 were killed and ten were wounded:
A six-month-old child died on Thursday from the effects of last week’s chemical attack on Taza.
In Baghdad, a blast killed one person and wounded eight more. Security forces killed 48 militants in several operations.
A bomb in Zaghniya wounded two people, one of them a militiaman.
In Falluja, 50 militants were killed.
Security forces killed 18 militants in Garma.
Nineteen militants were killed in a strike on Hawija.
In Mosul, a strike killed a wali and his brother. Unidentified gunmen killed five militants.
Dozens of militants were killed in Hit.
In Kubeisa, several militants were killed, including a Daesh prince.
