Death Toll in Anti-Government Protests in Iraq Reaches 3

In the ongoing protests against corruption and unemployment in Iraq, two more people were killed in the province of Maysan, bringing the total number of casualties in the recent week-long protests in southern Iraq to three dead and dozens injured. According to reports from medical officials in Maysan, the two individuals were shot dead early Saturday, July 13, during nighttime protests in the city of Amara, the provincial capital. The first victim of the recent protests was killed last Sunday in Basra by security forces. The unrest, which began in Basra in response to high unemployment rates, inflation, and inadequate public services, has spread in the past two days to other cities, including Najaf and Karbala, as well as the capitals of Maysan and Dhi Qar provinces, with reports of nighttime protests also emerging from Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who had traveled to Brussels to attend a NATO meeting, returned to Iraq on Friday and went directly to Basra. He signed a decree raising the security alert level in Iraq to 'C,' the highest level. Additionally, according to the official Iraqi news agency INA, Abadi participated in an emergency session of the National Security Ministerial Council on Saturday morning. On the other hand, the Associated Press reported that the streets of Najaf on Saturday witnessed a significant presence of security forces, with military and fire vehicles moving through the streets and roads. Protesters in Najaf on Friday attacked the city's airport, disrupting its operations, and also targeted the offices of several parties, including Al-Da'wa, Abadi's party. According to some reports, a small number of protesters were still present at the airport on Saturday morning, but an airport official told the Associated Press that normal operations had resumed. The protests began in predominantly Shia areas of southern Iraq, and Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the influential Shia cleric in the country, expressed solidarity with the protesters. A representative of Ayatollah Sistani at Friday prayers in Karbala stated that the cleric is dissatisfied with the shortcomings in public service delivery. However, reports indicate that the protests have not been limited to southern Iraqi cities and have reached Baghdad as well. According to the French news agency, a small number of demonstrators took to the streets after midnight on Friday, and their protests continued until Saturday morning. Iraqi media have also reported calls for gatherings to be held on Saturday evening, and the atmosphere in some neighborhoods of Baghdad has become tense. Iraq has been engaged in a battle against ISIS for three years, and last year, Haider al-Abadi announced the defeat of ISIS in the country. However, administrative corruption and the very low level of public services have exacerbated discontent in the country. Abadi did not achieve a decisive victory in the elections two months ago, and an alliance led by Muqtada al-Sadr, which campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, achieved a significant victory. According to official statistics, the unemployment rate in Iraq is nearly 11%, and this figure is doubled among the youth. About 60% of Iraq's population is under 24 years old.