Security forces broke up a mass rally in the east of Baghdad, where protesters faced volleys of tear gas and live rounds , witnesses said. “Five days of reported deaths and injuries: this must stop,” said the UN’s top official in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. She described the violence as a “senseless loss of life” and said those behind it must be held accountable. Play Video 1:09 Iraq protests: police open fire on demonstrators as death toll rises – video“It has been 16 years of corruption and injustice,” said Abbas Najm, a 43-year-old unemployed engineer who was part of a rally on Saturday. “We demand clarification from the Iraqi government on those wounded in Baghdad by sniper fire, which is ongoing today,” the commission said.

Source: The Guardian October 06, 2019 00:45 UTC