Baghdad: Iraqi MPs and activists have accused Iranian snipers of killing protesters in Baghdad.
“Iran is sniping at us”, Liberal legislator Faiq Al Sheikh Ali tweeted yesterday.
“It is no secret anymore. Summing up his country’s policy during Friday sermon a cleric said it explicitly: Kill Iraqi demonstrators – US agents”.
The Iraqi MP highlighted the clashes between protesters and security forces, pointing out that Iranians were killing them all.
“Protesters and security forces aren’t killing one another. Snipers are shooting at them together from rooftops”, he added.
The death toll from anti-government protests in Iraq has risen to almost 100, the country’s parliamentary human rights commission said.
The unrest entered its fifth day yesterday, with at least five people killed in the latest clashes in the capital Baghdad. The security forces are again reported to have used live rounds.
Demonstrators say they are taking a stand against unemployment, poor public services and corruption.
It is the deadliest unrest since Islamic State was declared defeated in Iraq in 2017. It is seen as the first major challenge to Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi’s fragile government, nearly a year since he came to power.
A total of 540 protesters have been arrested, of whom nearly 200 remain in custody, the human rights commission said. It also said more than 3,000 people had been injured.
Iraqi activists have accused Iran of conducting sniper operations to “mix cards”.
Former Iraqi MP Mithal Al Alousi told Al Hurra TV Channel that snipers were everywhere in Baghdad and they “killed two of the demonstrators and two from the armed forces on Friday”.
Denial
Iraqi political activist Ali Karim didn’t rule out Iran’s involvement in sniper operations but said these most likely took place through pro-Iraqi militias. Iraqi police forces are with the people except for riot police affiliated with pro-Iran Islamist parties, he said.
Iraqi authorities have denied the accusations holding what it called “unidentified snipers” responsible for the killing of 4 people. It also denied ordering security forces to shoot citizens with live ammunition.
Officials from Abdel Mahdi’s office met protest leaders from Baghdad and other provinces to discuss their demands, state television reported. Abdul Mahdi and President Barham Salih said they would seek to meet the demands, state television also reported, but gave no details how exactly they would respond.