Iraq admits ‘excessive force’ used at protests

THE Iraqi military has acknowledged for the first time that some of its troops used “excessive force” against unarmed protesters as the death toll from six days of anti-government protests topped 100.

The statement came after at least 15 people were killed overnight in Sadr City, a densely populated Shia suburb of Baghdad, where security forces fired live ammunition at crowds.

Adil Abdul-mahdi, Iraq’s embattled prime minister, ordered the army to withdraw from Sadr City after the killings and be replaced by police units.

“Excessive force outside the rules of engagement was used and we have begun to hold accountable those commanding officers who carried out these wrong acts,” the military said in a statement. The acknowledgement came as social media was flooded with videos of Iraqi troops opening fire on unarmed demonstrators. One video appeared to show a rocket grenade fired at a crowd.

Iraqis have been taking to the streets since last Tuesday in mass protests against corruption, high unemployment and the dire state of public services, water and electricity supply.

Around 110 people have been killed in the week of violence including eight members of the security forces, according to government figures. More than 6,000 people have been injured.

The protests have rocked the premiership of Mr Abdul-mahdi, who took office last year. His cabinet rushed out a series of proposals on Sunday designed to calm public anger, including plans to increase unemployment benefits and offer new business loans. However, the proposals did nothing to reduce the size of protests on Sunday night.

Mr Abdul-mahdi reassured Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, that his security forces “had resumed control and stability had been restored”, according to his office.

Privately, Western diplomats are sceptical he will be able to restore calm.

The US ambassador in Baghdad told American military leaders over the weekend that he believed Mr Abdulmahdi would eventually be forced to resign, Task & Purpose news site said.

His position weakened over the weekend after Moqtada al-sadr, the populist Shia cleric and political leader, told him: “Respect the blood of Iraq through the resignation of the government and prepare for early elections overseen by international monitors.”