Kurdistan Region Presidency calls for restraint after bloody day in Baghdad protests

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s presidency released a statement on Saturday to express its grave concerns regarding the continuation of violence during anti-government protests in central and southern provinces in Iraq.

The statement comes after a night of violent crackdowns in Baghdad on Friday night, where unidentified armed individuals killed at least 19 protesters, including three police officers, in stabbings and shootings. They also wounded upward to 70 others.

“The massacres that were committed against the civilian protesters at the Al Sink Bridge and Khulani square in Baghdad are unjustified, and the security services and related Iraqi stakeholders are responsible for capturing the culprits and bringing them to justice,” the statement mentioned.

It also relayed the Kurdistan Region Presidency’s “condolences to the families and friends of the deceased, and [wished] a fast recovery for the wounded.”

“We want to affirm that peaceful civilian protests are a right protected by the [Iraqi] Constitution, and it is unacceptable for civilians to be subjected to this excessive violence.”

The statement underlined that “it is everyone’s duty and responsibility to deal with the situation in a patriotic and accountable manner” to deescalate developments and “avoid further bloodshed.”

Since the demonstrations began in October, over 400 people have died, most of them killed by Iraqi security forces, while 17,000 others have been wounded.   

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany