Be vigilant amid protests, Pinoys in Baghdad told

Filipinos in Baghdad were reminded to remain vigilant and exercise caution in all their movements after anti-government protesters stormed on Friday the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital. Security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to break up the protests.

“In view of last night’s incident that left at least three people dead and many more injured, the embassy again reminds all Filipinos in Baghdad, particularly those in the Green Zone, to remain vigilant and exercise caution in all their movements,” Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato of the Philippine embassy in Baghdad said on Friday.

“Our kababayans ( fellow Filipinos) in the Red Zone are requested to avoid public areas where large numbers of people congregate,” he said.

The embassy earlier urged the close to 300 Filipinos working in Baghdad to exercise caution and limit their movement following the deadly explosions. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The embassy also called on Filipinos to avoid demonstrations and other public gatherings since these could also be targeted by extremists.

According to the embassy, there are around 2,000 Filipino workers in Iraq.

Last week, the ISIL claimed responsibility for the three terrorist attacks in Baghdad that killed at least 93 people and injured many others.

The United Nations Security Council condemned all the attacks perpetrated by ISIL against the people of Iraq in an attempt to destabilize the country and region. The members of the council reiterated their commitment to Iraq’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity, as well as to its security.