At least 7 dead, several wounded during 'Day of rage' demonstrations in Iraq

At least 7 dead, several wounded during 'Day of rage' demonstrations in Iraq

2011-02-26 01:20:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

BAGHDAD, IRAQ (BNO NEWS) -- At least 7 people on Friday were killed and several wounded during the 'Day of rage' demonstrations in many cities of Iraq, Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported.

Several Iraqi cities witnessed demonstrations of the so-called "The Iraqi Revolution" including Baghdad, Mosul, Falluja and Basra. The organizers used Facebook, Twitter and social websites to rally supporters.

In Baghdad, hundreds of demonstrators rallied in al-Tahrir square to protest against bad services and corruption. The government imposed a a ban on vehicles and bikes in the Iraqi capital to avoid conflicts.

However, in other cities demonstrations were not as peaceful. In Mosul, at least five people were killed and 15 injured in clashes that followed demonstrations off the Ninewa provincial building.

Mosul, the capital city of the violence-ridden multi-ethnic province of Ninewa, witnessed violent confrontations as hundreds of protesters stormed the Ninewa provincial council building and then set it on fire.

Security forces remained peaceful but a bomb was thrown at the demonstrators causing severe injuries to at least five people. As a result, the Ninewa Operations Command imposed a ban on vehicles in Mosul to protect protesters.

In the oil-rich port city of Basra, 39 police officers were wounded during the demonstrations that called for the resignation of Governor Shaltagh Abboud. The Basra Operations Command announced a curfew starting from 4:00 p.m. local time until 6:00 a.m. Saturday.

In Falluja, at least 16 protesters were injured in a random shooting by security forces after they stormed a government compound, which includes the mayoralty and the local council. The buildings were set ablaze in the predominantly Sunni city.

Demonstrators also attempted to storm a local council in Soliman Bek district, northeast of Salah al-Din. However, security forces clashed with the approximately 250 protesters and five people were injured.

Sajjad al-Assadi, a security committee official in the Thi-Qar Provincial Council accused the Baath Party of encouraging demonstrators to violence in order to sue them for their own interests.

The official added that security forces detained three members of the disbanded party who were among the demonstrators enraging them.

The Iraqi government was formed in December 2010, nine months after an inconclusive national election. This is the second elected government after the U.S.-led invasion that demoted former leader Saddam Hussein eight years ago.

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