Death toll has reached to 100 in clashes between police and protesters.The unrest is the deadliest Iraq has seen since the declared defeat of Islamic State in 2017 and has shaken Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's year-old government

Anti-Govt protests in Iraq: Death Toll rises to 100

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called for calm as more than 190 people were wounded in the capital on Friday, but protesters scorned his promises of political reform.

Iraq Anti-Government Protest: Military deployed to quell protests

The death toll from mass protests in Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq rose to 73 on Saturday as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-protest-at-least-60-people-dead-cleric-sadr-demands-government-resign-253833">unrest entered its fifth day</a>, parliament's human rights commission said.

More than 3,000 people have also been injured since the protests against chronic unemployment, poor public services and widespread corruption erupted in the capital on Tuesday, the commission said.

A total of 540 demonstrators have been arrested, of whom nearly 200 remain in custody, the panel added.

The violence is the worst since Iraq put down an insurgency by Islamic State two years ago. The protests arose in the south, heartland of the Shi'ite majority, but quickly spread, with no formal leadership.

The violence is an unprecedented test for Adel Abdul Mahdi, a mild-mannered veteran politician who came to power last year as a compromise candidate backed by powerful Shi'ite groups that have dominated Iraq since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Watch: Iraq anti-government protest - military deployed to quell protests

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In his overnight address, Abdul Mahdi pledged reforms but said there was no "magic solution" to Iraq's problems. He insisted politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said.

A young man in a crowd fleeing sniper shots at a central Baghdad square was scornful. "The promises by Adel Abdul Mahdi are to fool the people, and today they are firing live gunshots at us," he said.

"Today this was a peaceful protest. They set up these barricades, and the sniper is sitting right there since last night."

Police and medical sources told Reuters the death toll so far included 18 people killed in the southern city of Nassiriya, 16 in Baghdad, four in the southern city of Amara and four in Baquba as unrest spread north of the capital. Deaths were also reported in the southern cities of Hilla and Najaf.

Curfews were imposed in a number of cities. Authorities shut roads into the capital from the north and northeast and were sending reinforcements to Baghdad's densely populated east. Military convoys were being sent to Nassiriya.

Abdul Mahdi said late on Friday that a curfew in Baghdad would be lifted from 5 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The death toll from mass protests in Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq rose to 73 on Saturday as the unrest entered its fifth day, parliament's human rights commission said.

The death toll from mass protests in Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq rose to 73 on Saturday as the unrest entered its fifth day, parliament's human rights commission said. More than 3,000 people have also been injured since the protests against chronic unemployment, poor public services and widespread corruption erupted in the capital on Tuesday, the commission said. A total of 540 demonstrators have been arrested, of whom nearly 200 remain in custody, the panel added. The violence is the worst since Iraq put down an insurgency by Islamic State two years ago. The protests arose in the south, heartland of the Shi'ite majority, but quickly spread, with no formal leadership. The violence is an unprecedented test for Adel Abdul Mahdi, a mild-mannered veteran politician who came to power last year as a compromise candidate backed by powerful Shi'ite groups that have dominated Iraq since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Watch: Iraq anti-government protest - military deployed to quell protests × In his overnight address, Abdul Mahdi pledged reforms but said there was no "magic solution" to Iraq's problems. He insisted politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said. A young man in a crowd fleeing sniper shots at a central Baghdad square was scornful. "The promises by Adel Abdul Mahdi are to fool the people, and today they are firing live gunshots at us," he said. "Today this was a peaceful protest. They set up these barricades, and the sniper is sitting right there since last night." Police and medical sources told Reuters the death toll so far included 18 people killed in the southern city of Nassiriya, 16 in Baghdad, four in the southern city of Amara and four in Baquba as unrest spread north of the capital. Deaths were also reported in the southern cities of Hilla and Najaf. Curfews were imposed in a number of cities. Authorities shut roads into the capital from the north and northeast and were sending reinforcements to Baghdad's densely populated east. Military convoys were being sent to Nassiriya. Abdul Mahdi said late on Friday that a curfew in Baghdad would be lifted from 5 a.m. local time on Saturday.

Iraq protests death toll rises to 73; over 3,000 injured

The death toll from days of violent demonstrations across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-forces-fire-at-protesters-in-baghdad-after-pm-pledges-vague-reform-253693">Iraq </a>surged to 46 on Friday, most of them killed in the last 24 hours, as unrest rapidly accelerated and the country's most powerful cleric placed the blame squarely on politicians.

In a rare intervention, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, whose word is law for most of Iraq's majority Shi'ites, called on protesters and the security forces to avoid violence. But he also ordered political factions to respond to protest demands.

"It is sorrowful that there have been so many deaths, casualties and destruction," Sistani said in a letter read out by his representative Ahmed al-Safi during a sermon in the holy city of Kerbala.

"The government and political sides have not answered the demands of the people to fight corruption or achieved anything on the ground," he said. "Parliament holds the biggest responsibility for what is happening."

In an overnight TV address, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said he understood the frustration of the public but there was no "magic solution" to Iraq's problems. He pledged reforms, though these have so far drawn scorn from demonstrators.

The violent demonstrations have escalated by the day since they first erupted on Tuesday, sweeping across the country spontaneously, without public backing from any organized political group and taking the authorities by surprise.

Security forces have fired live ammunition at crowds of mainly young men, and gunmen have fired back. Hundreds of people have been wounded, including members of the security forces as well as demonstrators.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-police-fire-live-rounds-as-protesters-defy-curfew-253498/amp">Police </a>and medical sources said the death toll included 18 people killed in the southern city of Nassiriya, 16 in the capital Baghdad, four in the southern city of Amara and four in Baquba, to the capital's north. Other deaths were reported in two other southern cities, Hilla and Najaf.

Curfews were imposed in a number of cities. Authorities shut roads into the capital from the north and northeast and were sending reinforcements to Baghdad's densely-populated east. Military convoys were being sent to Nassiriya, the city worst hit by the violence.

Protesters in Baghdad gathered in darkness overnight by a bonfire set among the flaming wreckage of an armoured vehicle, across the Tigris River from the government compound.

"They are shooting live fire at the Iraqi people and the revolutionaries. We can cross the bridge and take them out of the Green Zone!" a man shouted to Reuters TV.

"Abdul Mahdi, they will cross the bridge. You better resign. Resign. The people demand the fall of the regime!" he shouted as the crowd behind him took up a chant that swept the Middle East during popular uprisings across the region in 2011: "The people demand the fall of the regime!"

'Rage'

The unrest, fuelled by popular rage over poor living standards and corruption, is Iraq's biggest security challenge since the defeat of Islamic State in 2017. It is also the first test for Abdul Mahdi, installed last year by Shi'ite parties that have dominated Iraq since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein.

It also comes on the eve of the Arbaeen Shi'ite pilgrimage, which in recent years has drawn 20 million worshippers, trekking for days on foot across southern Iraq in the world's biggest annual gathering, ten times the size of the Mecca Hajj.

Pilgrims were already taking to the roads on Friday, although in what appeared to be smaller numbers than in recent years. Iran has closed one of the border crossings used by millions of pilgrims. Qatar has told its citizens to stay away.

A senior Iranian cleric blamed the unrest on the United States and Israel, saying they aimed to thwart the pilgrimage.

The Iraqi capital was quieter early on Friday ahead of Muslim prayers, although police fired live ammunition again in the morning to disperse small crowds. An ongoing curfew, defied by thousands of demonstrators on Thursday, saw the army and special forces deploy around central squares and streets.

Iraqis expect large protests to erupt later in the day.

Abdul Mahdi acknowledged the public discontent in his overnight television message, insisting politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said.

He called for calm and for support from lawmakers to reshuffle cabinet posts away from the influence of big parties and groups. He said a basic wage for poor families would be discussed by the government, but that no "magic solutions" had been available to fix the country.

The protests could grow if they receive formal backing from the opposition political bloc of firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has long denounced corruption and the political elite.

'Revolution of Hunger'

"We Sadrists support the protests by all means, but we would wait for orders from our leader Sayyed Moqtada before we would take to the streets," a senior Sadrist politician, Awad Awadi, told Reuters. He called the protests "a revolution of hunger."

Ahmed al-Kinani, a lawmaker from a party linked to a powerful Iran-backed militia, said most of the protesters were simply demanding their rights, but a minority were using the demonstrations to target the security forces. His party was willing to do what it takes to calm the situation, including accepting a reshuffling of cabinet ministries.

Two years after the defeat of the Islamic State Sunni militant movement, Iraq has finally been at peace and free to trade for the first extended period since the 1970s, with oil exports at record levels. But Iraqis say they have seen few benefits, with infrastructure still in ruins and jobs scarce.

The death toll from days of violent demonstrations across Iraq surged to 46 on Friday, most of them killed in the last 24 hours, as unrest rapidly accelerated and the country's most powerful cleric placed the blame squarely on politicians.

The death toll from days of violent demonstrations across Iraq surged to 46 on Friday, most of them killed in the last 24 hours, as unrest rapidly accelerated and the country's most powerful cleric placed the blame squarely on politicians. In a rare intervention, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, whose word is law for most of Iraq's majority Shi'ites, called on protesters and the security forces to avoid violence. But he also ordered political factions to respond to protest demands. "It is sorrowful that there have been so many deaths, casualties and destruction," Sistani said in a letter read out by his representative Ahmed al-Safi during a sermon in the holy city of Kerbala. "The government and political sides have not answered the demands of the people to fight corruption or achieved anything on the ground," he said. "Parliament holds the biggest responsibility for what is happening." In an overnight TV address, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said he understood the frustration of the public but there was no "magic solution" to Iraq's problems. He pledged reforms, though these have so far drawn scorn from demonstrators. The violent demonstrations have escalated by the day since they first erupted on Tuesday, sweeping across the country spontaneously, without public backing from any organized political group and taking the authorities by surprise. Security forces have fired live ammunition at crowds of mainly young men, and gunmen have fired back. Hundreds of people have been wounded, including members of the security forces as well as demonstrators. Police and medical sources said the death toll included 18 people killed in the southern city of Nassiriya, 16 in the capital Baghdad, four in the southern city of Amara and four in Baquba, to the capital's north. Other deaths were reported in two other southern cities, Hilla and Najaf. Curfews were imposed in a number of cities. Authorities shut roads into the capital from the north and northeast and were sending reinforcements to Baghdad's densely-populated east. Military convoys were being sent to Nassiriya, the city worst hit by the violence. Protesters in Baghdad gathered in darkness overnight by a bonfire set among the flaming wreckage of an armoured vehicle, across the Tigris River from the government compound. "They are shooting live fire at the Iraqi people and the revolutionaries. We can cross the bridge and take them out of the Green Zone!" a man shouted to Reuters TV. "Abdul Mahdi, they will cross the bridge. You better resign. Resign. The people demand the fall of the regime!" he shouted as the crowd behind him took up a chant that swept the Middle East during popular uprisings across the region in 2011: "The people demand the fall of the regime!" 'Rage' The unrest, fuelled by popular rage over poor living standards and corruption, is Iraq's biggest security challenge since the defeat of Islamic State in 2017. It is also the first test for Abdul Mahdi, installed last year by Shi'ite parties that have dominated Iraq since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein. It also comes on the eve of the Arbaeen Shi'ite pilgrimage, which in recent years has drawn 20 million worshippers, trekking for days on foot across southern Iraq in the world's biggest annual gathering, ten times the size of the Mecca Hajj. Pilgrims were already taking to the roads on Friday, although in what appeared to be smaller numbers than in recent years. Iran has closed one of the border crossings used by millions of pilgrims. Qatar has told its citizens to stay away. A senior Iranian cleric blamed the unrest on the United States and Israel, saying they aimed to thwart the pilgrimage. The Iraqi capital was quieter early on Friday ahead of Muslim prayers, although police fired live ammunition again in the morning to disperse small crowds. An ongoing curfew, defied by thousands of demonstrators on Thursday, saw the army and special forces deploy around central squares and streets. Iraqis expect large protests to erupt later in the day. Abdul Mahdi acknowledged the public discontent in his overnight television message, insisting politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said. He called for calm and for support from lawmakers to reshuffle cabinet posts away from the influence of big parties and groups. He said a basic wage for poor families would be discussed by the government, but that no "magic solutions" had been available to fix the country. The protests could grow if they receive formal backing from the opposition political bloc of firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has long denounced corruption and the political elite. 'Revolution of Hunger' "We Sadrists support the protests by all means, but we would wait for orders from our leader Sayyed Moqtada before we would take to the streets," a senior Sadrist politician, Awad Awadi, told Reuters. He called the protests "a revolution of hunger." Ahmed al-Kinani, a lawmaker from a party linked to a powerful Iran-backed militia, said most of the protesters were simply demanding their rights, but a minority were using the demonstrations to target the security forces. His party was willing to do what it takes to calm the situation, including accepting a reshuffling of cabinet ministries. Two years after the defeat of the Islamic State Sunni militant movement, Iraq has finally been at peace and free to trade for the first extended period since the 1970s, with oil exports at record levels. But Iraqis say they have seen few benefits, with infrastructure still in ruins and jobs scarce.

Death toll surges to 46 as Iraq unrest accelerates; no 'magic solution' says PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi sought on Monday (July 1) to curb the powers of influential Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militias, a politically risky move apparently aimed at placating the United States.

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Police arrest suspect in University of North Carolina shooting; 2 killed Police have arrested a suspect in a shooting that left two people dead and four others injured, three critically, on Tuesday at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made latest video in 'remote area': Iraq PM Adel Abdul Mahdi Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area". Cyclone Fani: IMD issues 'yellow warning' in Odisha predicting heavy rainfall The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a 'yellow warning' for Odisha coast predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places such as Boudh, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Deogarh, and Sundargarh. Maduro appears with defence minister as Guaido calls to continue 'Operation Freedom' Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido called for a fresh round of protests on Wednesday against President Nicolas Maduro, after clashes broke out between security forces and anti-regime demonstrators. Got a crush on another Facebook user? The social network will help you connect As part of a revamp unveiled Tuesday Facebook aims to foster real-world relationships and make the platform a more intimate place for groups of friends.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-airs-video-purporting-to-be-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-214624">Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi</a> had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area".

PM Abdul Mahdi did not say which country that area was in.

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A video released late on Monday by Islamic State's media network showed a man it said was Baghdadi in what would be his first appearance since he declared the jihadists' now-defunct "caliphate" five years ago.

&nbsp;

The authenticity and date of the recording could not be independently verified.

Abdul Mahdi said Baghdadi's appearance was an attempt to boost militants and that Islamic State would attempt to carry out more attacks.

"Regarding the location of Baghdadi, we can't give intelligence information right now but it's clear from the video that he's in a remote area," Abdul Mahdi said at a news conference on a visit to Berlin.

Baghdadi, an Iraqi, is believed to be hiding out in an isolated area of either Iraq or Syria, part of vast desert regions Islamic State once held and from where it is thought the jihadists are now waging regular insurgent-style attacks against security forces in both countries.

Hisham al-Hashemi, a security adviser to the Iraqi government, said officials had narrowed his whereabouts from 17 to a possible four locations.

"These are in the desert of Iraq's Anbar (province) or in the (eastern) desert of Homs in Syria," he said.

Abdul Mahdi said Islamic State's capabilities had "greatly reduced" but that the group still posed a threat.

"Daesh (Islamic State) is not just a small organisation, it's widespread and will try to put confidence back in its militants and carry out acts such as those in Sri Lanka," he said, referring to the Easter Sunday attacks claimed by the group which killed more than 250 people.

In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the bombings in Sri Lanka were Islamic State's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria.

The video would be the first from Baghdadi since he was filmed in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014. More recent speeches have been released as audio recordings.

A US-backed campaign ended Islamic State's control of territory in Iraq in late 2017 and in Syria last month, nearly five years after the group took over vast areas in both countries.

Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area".

Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had made his latest video appearance in a "remote area". PM Abdul Mahdi did not say which country that area was in. A video released late on Monday by Islamic State's media network showed a man it said was Baghdadi in what would be his first appearance since he declared the jihadists' now-defunct "caliphate" five years ago. The authenticity and date of the recording could not be independently verified. Abdul Mahdi said Baghdadi's appearance was an attempt to boost militants and that Islamic State would attempt to carry out more attacks. "Regarding the location of Baghdadi, we can't give intelligence information right now but it's clear from the video that he's in a remote area," Abdul Mahdi said at a news conference on a visit to Berlin. Baghdadi, an Iraqi, is believed to be hiding out in an isolated area of either Iraq or Syria, part of vast desert regions Islamic State once held and from where it is thought the jihadists are now waging regular insurgent-style attacks against security forces in both countries. Hisham al-Hashemi, a security adviser to the Iraqi government, said officials had narrowed his whereabouts from 17 to a possible four locations. "These are in the desert of Iraq's Anbar (province) or in the (eastern) desert of Homs in Syria," he said. Abdul Mahdi said Islamic State's capabilities had "greatly reduced" but that the group still posed a threat. "Daesh (Islamic State) is not just a small organisation, it's widespread and will try to put confidence back in its militants and carry out acts such as those in Sri Lanka," he said, referring to the Easter Sunday attacks claimed by the group which killed more than 250 people. In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the bombings in Sri Lanka were Islamic State's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria. The video would be the first from Baghdadi since he was filmed in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014. More recent speeches have been released as audio recordings. A US-backed campaign ended Islamic State's control of territory in Iraq in late 2017 and in Syria last month, nearly five years after the group took over vast areas in both countries.

IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made latest video in 'remote area': Iraq PM Adel Abdul Mahdi

Iraq's parliament on Tuesday (October 2) elected as president Kurdish politician Barham Salih, who immediately named Shi'ite Adel Abdul Mahdi prime minister-designate, ending months of deadlock after an inconclusive national election in May.

The presidency, traditionally occupied by a Kurd, is a largely ceremonial position but the vote for Salih was a key step toward forming a new government, which politicians have failed to do since the election.

Under Iraq's constitution, Salih - a British-educated engineer aged 58 who has held office in both the Iraqi federal and Kurdish regional governments - had 15 days to invite the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government. He chose to do so less than two hours after his election.

Since Saddam Hussein was toppled in a 2003 U.S.-led invasion, power has been shared among Iraq's three largest ethnic-sectarian components.

The most powerful post, that of prime minister, has traditionally been held by a Shi'ite Arab, the speaker of parliament by a Sunni Arab and the presidency by a Kurd.

A former vice president, oil minister, and finance minister, Abdul Mahdi now has 30 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval.

He faces the daunting tasks of rebuilding much of the country after four years of war with Islamic State militants, healing its ethnic and sectarian tensions, and balancing foreign relations with Iraq's two major allies - Iran and its arch-foe the United States.

Abdul Mahdi, 76, is a trained economist who left Iraq in 1969 for exile in France, where he worked for think tanks and edited magazines in French and Arabic. He is the son of a respected Shi'ite cleric who was a minister in the era of Iraq's monarchy, overthrown in 1958.

He was nominated by two rival blocs, one led by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the other by Iran-backed militia leader Hadi al-Amiri and former premier Nuri al-Maliki.

Both blocs claim to hold a parliamentary majority but the dispute has been rendered irrelevant by their choice of the same man to be premier.

"The nomination of Mr Adel Abdul Mahdi came after an agreement between the Binaa bloc and the Islah bloc to nominate him via consensus and not a majority bloc in order to get past the issue of which is the majority bloc," said Ahmed al-Asadi, a spokesman for the Binaa bloc led by Amiri and Maliki.

Iraq's parliament on Tuesday (October 2) elected as president Kurdish politician Barham Salih, who immediately named Shi'ite Adel Abdul Mahdi prime minister-designate, ending months of deadlock after an inconclusive national election in May.

Iraq's parliament on Tuesday (October 2) elected as president Kurdish politician Barham Salih, who immediately named Shi'ite Adel Abdul Mahdi prime minister-designate, ending months of deadlock after an inconclusive national election in May. The presidency, traditionally occupied by a Kurd, is a largely ceremonial position but the vote for Salih was a key step toward forming a new government, which politicians have failed to do since the election. Under Iraq's constitution, Salih - a British-educated engineer aged 58 who has held office in both the Iraqi federal and Kurdish regional governments - had 15 days to invite the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government. He chose to do so less than two hours after his election. Since Saddam Hussein was toppled in a 2003 U.S.-led invasion, power has been shared among Iraq's three largest ethnic-sectarian components. The most powerful post, that of prime minister, has traditionally been held by a Shi'ite Arab, the speaker of parliament by a Sunni Arab and the presidency by a Kurd. A former vice president, oil minister, and finance minister, Abdul Mahdi now has 30 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval. He faces the daunting tasks of rebuilding much of the country after four years of war with Islamic State militants, healing its ethnic and sectarian tensions, and balancing foreign relations with Iraq's two major allies - Iran and its arch-foe the United States. Abdul Mahdi, 76, is a trained economist who left Iraq in 1969 for exile in France, where he worked for think tanks and edited magazines in French and Arabic. He is the son of a respected Shi'ite cleric who was a minister in the era of Iraq's monarchy, overthrown in 1958. He was nominated by two rival blocs, one led by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the other by Iran-backed militia leader Hadi al-Amiri and former premier Nuri al-Maliki. Both blocs claim to hold a parliamentary majority but the dispute has been rendered irrelevant by their choice of the same man to be premier. "The nomination of Mr Adel Abdul Mahdi came after an agreement between the Binaa bloc and the Islah bloc to nominate him via consensus and not a majority bloc in order to get past the issue of which is the majority bloc," said Ahmed al-Asadi, a spokesman for the Binaa bloc led by Amiri and Maliki.

Iraq names new president and premier, ending deadlock

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