Iraq: Security personnel blamed for protester deaths

Cairo: Investigations into protester killings in southern Iraq have found security personnel to blame for the violence, according to Iraqi media.

Last February, two persons were killed and at least 140 injured during protests demanding the removal of the governor of the province of Dhi Qar in southern Iraq.

A statement from Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said that an investigation committee had identified those who had fired live ammunition to disperse demonstrators in violation of orders.

Officer detained

A police officer and other members of the local police forces were detained and remanded pending further questioning in connection with the unrest, and that two Kalashnikov rifles and pistols were impounded after evidence they were used in shooting at demonstrators.

The suspects were found to have fired in the direction of demonstrators, the statement said, citing their confessions, eyewitnesses’ testimonies and related videos.

In the aftermath of the late February turmoil, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi sacked Dhi Qar governor Nadhem Al Wali and named chief of the National Security Service Abdul Ghani Al Assadi an interim governor.