Armed groups attacked peaceful protesters in Khilani Square in central Baghdad on Friday night, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 60, according to AP.
It was the most public attack to date against the protesters camped out in the Iraqi capital and came just hours after the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against some paramilitary and political leaders.
Protesters have been out on the streets since October 1 demanding action against corruption, unemployment, and chronic underdevelopment. More than 420 protesters have been killed and 16,000 wounded in clashes with security forces and militias.
After two months of violence, the Iraqi parliament accepted the resignation of PM Abdul-Mahdi.
Friday’s attack was a wakeup call. Authorities acknowledged “outlaw” groups had attacked protesters, signifying a weakness of the Iraqi government’s ability to exert control over armed militias.
“The Ambassadors condemned the killing of peaceful Iraqi protesters since 1 October, including the killing of over 25 protesters in Baghdad over the weekend,” the joint statement read.
“They urged the Prime Minister, as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces until a new Prime Minister takes office, to ensure the protection of the protesters, and to urgently investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the killings,” it said.
“No armed group should be able to operate outside of the control of the state,” it added.
The Shiite paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), known as Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic, are widely thought to be responsible for the attack on protesters. The ambassadors called on the Iraqi government to ensure the PMF stays away from the protests.
Several powerful PMF factions are backed by Iran and are composed of militiamen who fought against US forces in Iraq after 2003. Although they were given a deadline of July 31 to fully integrate into the Iraqi armed forces, they continue to operate independently of command, often as proxies of Tehran.
“The Prime Minister stressed Iraq’s pride in partnership and cooperation with the European Union, and Iraq’s commitment to human rights principles, including the protection of the right to peaceful protest, the right to life, work and study,” according to the statement from the prime minister’s office.
Abdul-Mahdi “stressed that the government revealed the mistakes that had occurred at the beginning of the protests” and acknowledged “the excessive use of force”.
He said investigations and judicial actions are ongoing, “indicating that the government has taken a firm decision to limit the weapon by the state”.
The outgoing PM did however point out “the burning of State institutions, police stations, religious cauldrons, consulates, and the homes of citizens” and said it is the “duty of the security forces to protect all and maintain security and stability throughout the country”.
On Sunday Iraq’s President Barham Salih also met with Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, to discuss the violence and the right to protest.
“Together, the two sides placed emphasis on the right of citizens to demonstrate peacefully and freely, and the responsibility of the State organs competent to protect peaceful demonstrators, preserve the public security of the State as well as the rights and property of citizens,” a readout from President Salih’s office read.
“In this vein, it was also underlined that the terrible crime that targeted demonstrators last Friday and resulted in a number of deaths and wounded carried out by outlaw gangs is generally aimed at undermining Iraq’s security and stability,” the statement added.
“Therefore, it is necessary to intensify and enhance security measures, arrest the perpetrators and bring them to trial as well as working accurately in order to these types of crimes must never again be allowed to occur.”
