Eight dead, 60 injured as Iraq protests continue for 11th day

The Iraqi central government is seeking to contain protests against unemployment and a lack of basic services which broke out in July, 8, in Southern Iraq, with the number of victims killed reaching eight while 60 others were injured, according to Iraqi health officials who said that the protests were marred by riots.

On the other hand, though the Iraqi government believes that the people’s demands are legitimate, it nevertheless considered the protests as being orchestrated.

Meanwhile, Iraqi prime minister Haidar al-Abadi called for the speeding up of forming the new government in order to attend to the people’s demands and provide services.

The spokesman of the Iraqi interior ministry Brigadier Yahya Rasool said that the Iraqi forces are trying their best to save lives, secure the demonstrations and protect public and private properties.

Reports pointed out that the current government intends to dismiss senior officials in Iraqi ministries who were named as corrupt in the demonstrations, and to bring them to trial.

Press sources said that the reforms which the Iraqi government is looking to implement will include financial allocation to the southern and central provinces in Iraq, in addition to forcing an Iraqi quota in employment opportunities in foreign oil and gas companies working in Iraq.

In a related development, two Iraqi official delegates are expected to head to Saudi Arabia to negotiate deals to provide Iraq with oil and services following the collapse of similar negotiations with the Iranians to re-supply Iraq with energy.