Iraq faces political crisis after days of deadly protests
Security forces opened fire directly at hundreds of anti-government demonstrators Friday in central Baghdad, killing at least 17 protesters and injuring dozens, hours after Iraq’s top Shiite cleric warned both sides to end four days of violence “before it’s too late.”
In the restive city of Nasiriyah, demonstrators torched the offices of three political parties and a lawmaker. Security forces responded with gunfire, but there was no immediate word on casualties, said the officials, who described the protest as “very large.” Iraqi politicians have scrambled to contain the demonstrations, calling for meetings with protest representatives and an emergency session of parliament Saturday to discuss protesters’ demands. But there was no quorum for the session after the largest bloc boycotted the session at the behest of its leader, influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
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