BASRA, Iraq (AA) – The Iraqi army on Wednesday blamed “unidentified gunmen” for the death of six demonstrators on Tuesday in Iraq’s southern Basra province.
“The protesters slain yesterday in downtown Basra were killed by unknown gunmen in a car,” army commander Jamil al-Shammari said in a Wednesday statement.
Al-Shammari denied reports that Iraqi security forces had fired on protesters outside Basra’s provincial headquarters, killing six people.
He went on to assert that Tuesday’s demonstrations “were not entirely peaceful in nature”.
“Security forces were surprised to find a group of demonstrators throwing Molotov cocktails, burning tires and attacking citizens,” he said.
“At one point,” al-Shammari added, “gunmen in a white vehicle killed a number of demonstrators, prompting the authorities to impose a curfew.”
The army commander went on to assert that “certain groups” — he did not identify them by name — were “employing criminal gangs in Basra to assassinate citizens and sow strife in the city”.
On Tuesday evening, authorities in Basra imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in hopes of containing mounting tension after protesters stormed the provincial headquarters and clashed with security forces.
The government has accused “saboteurs” among the protesters of vandalizing public property, while protesters accuse security forces of using live ammunition to disperse peaceful demonstrations.
On Wednesday, Iraq’s Sairoon coalition — led by firebrand Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr — called for the dismissal of army commanders in Basra, blaming them for protesters’ deaths.
“The government — federal and local — is tasked with safeguarding the lives of demonstrators and preventing the use of undue force,” leading Sairoon member Hassan al-Akouli said at a press conference in Baghdad.
He called on the authorities in Basra to begin an “immediate investigation” into the recent violence.
Since early July, Iraq’s Shia-majority southern and central provinces — especially Basra — have been rocked popular protests, which at one point spread to the capital.
Demonstrators demand improved public services, more job opportunities and an end to perceived government corruption.
Meanwhile, negotiations remain underway over the formation of the country’s next government following May 12 parliamentary polls, results of which were disputed for several months.
