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Iraq's Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. Photo: AFP

Iraqi prime minister appeals for calm amid continued widespread protests, as demonstrators block major roads

  • Street protests have roiled Iraq in two waves since early October over corruption, lack of jobs and poor access to electricity and clean water in the oil-wealthy country
Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel-Abdel Mahdi on Sunday called for life to return to normal after days of massive anti-government protests that have paralysed the country.

His call comes as protesters have blocked roads in several parts of Iraq and forced the closure of a major port in the southern province of Basra.

Iraqis take part in ongoing anti-government protests in the central city of Karabala. Photo: AFP

“Threatening oil interests and blocking some roads leading to ports cause huge losses,” Abdel-Mahdi said in a statement, according to Iraq's official news agency INNA.

“This delays the delivery of goods and hikes up prices, curbs the creation of jobs and hampers economic growth,” he added.

Street protests have roiled Iraq in two waves since early October, which marked one year since Abdel Mahdi took office. Demonstrators have decried corruption, lack of jobs and poor access to electricity and clean water in the oil-wealthy country.

The demonstrators have also demanded the resignation of the government, the dissolution of parliament and an overhaul of the country's political system that has been in place since the 2003-led invasion of Iraq.

On Sunday, schools closed in several areas of Iraq as part of mounting pressure on the government to step down.

Iraqi students pose for selfies with a member of the security forces during ongoing anti-government protests in the central city of Diwaniyah. Photo: AFP

The closures occurred in response to a call for a five-day strike by the country's independent Teachers' Union despite a warning from the Education Ministry.

At least 260 people, mostly demonstrators, were killed and 11,000 others injured in Iraq’s turmoil last month, according to the independent Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights.

Violence in Baghdad as Iraqi protesters and security forces clash

Abdel-Mahdi on Sunday blamed the violence on groups he branded as outlaws.

“These groups have no relation to demonstrations. Rather they use them [protesters] as covers and as human shields to commit acts of road blockage, arson, looting and clashes with security forces,” he added.

“What matters is to isolate the saboteurs from your peaceful movement,” Abdel-Mahdi added, addressing protesters.

The premier said he had assigned an investigation committee to look into the equipment used by security forces on the streets.

This week, the rights watchdog Amnesty International accused Iraqi security forces of using previously unseen types of tear gas grenade to kill rather than disperse protesters.

Iraq using ‘skull-piercing’ tear gas grenades on protesters, Amnesty says

Abdel-Mahdi said that security forces are under strict orders not to use live ammunition, or other lethal weapons against protesters.

The protests are the country's largest since December 2017, when Iraq declared the liberation of all territory previously under Islamic State militants' control.

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