Iran Press/Middle East: Iraqi sources announced on Friday that with the presence of security forces, there are no more protesters on the streets of Baghdad, and calm has been established in all districts of the city. According to an Iraq Press report, the situation in the Iraqi capital has returned to normal.
Demonstrations called ‘October Protests’, organised by unknown social media activists and groups, had been inviting the Iraqi people to take part. The protests erupted last Tuesday over unemployment and poor public services and continued for a third consecutive day.
The Iraqi government has repeatedly insisted that peaceful protests are the legitimate and obvious right of the Iraqi people, requesting them to respect the law, and refrain from taking any action that would disturb the peace or lead to violence in the demonstrations.
In a live televised message on Friday morning, the Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi reiterated that his government cares for the legitimate demands of the Iraqi people.
In another development, Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali al-Sistani called on political leaders to take “practical and clear steps” toward fighting corruption, and called on the government to “carry out its duties” to reduce the hardship and suffering of the Iraqi people.
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