San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
25 dead, 130 wounded as gunmen target protesters
BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials said Saturday the casualty toll had risen to 25 dead and 130 wounded after a bloody night of attacks by unknown gunmen that targeted antigovernment demonstrators in the capital.
The attack Friday was among the deadliest since Oct. 1, when thousands of Iraqis took to the streets calling for sweeping political reforms and the end of Iran’s influence in Iraqi affairs. Security forces regularly use live rounds and tear gas to disperse the demonstrations, leading to heavy casualties.
The gunfire continued until the early hours Saturday. The assailants first unleashed the deadly assault on Baghdad’s
Khilani Square and Sinak Bridge, driving through the areas that are the epicenter of the popular uprising. Protesters said electricity in the square was cut, creating chaos as they ran from the bullets and took cover in nearby mosques and streets. Three among the dead were police officers and the rest were protesters, officials said.
The attack included the burning of a parking garage that demonstrators had converted into a base for their sitin, while surrounding buildings in the square were pockmarked with bullet holes. On Saturday, protesters raised a bloodied white flag as they sought to return to the scene.
Antigovernment activists have sought to blame supporters of Iranbacked Iraqi militias, which have staged similar attacks against protester sitins in the capital and the country’s southern cities.
A string of mysterious knife attacks against antigovernment protesters also occurred on Thursday in the square, after supporters of the Iranbacked militias attempted their own rival demonstration before withdrawing.
Also Saturday, Shiite cleric Muqtada alSadr, the head of parliament’s Sairoon bloc, said a drone had targeted his home in the holy city of Najaf. AlSadr has supported the protests by sending his followers to Tahrir Square to protect them.
Samya Kullab is an Associated Press writer.