Iraq declares curfew as violent protests spread, over 10 killed

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi declared curfew in the Iraqi capital Baghdad starting from Thursday until further notice after two days of violent protests across Iraq's central and southern provinces.

The protests are against corruption, lack of basic services and insufficient jobs, Iraqi official television reported on Thursday.

Abdul Mahdi, also the commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, said that all vehicles and individuals are totally forbidden to move in Baghdad as of 5:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) Thursday morning, and until further notice, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.

It said that the Abdul Mahdi's decision excluded travelers to and from Baghdad airport, ambulances and public services workers and vehicles.

The decision also said that it is up to provincial governors to decide whether to declare curfews in their provinces, the channel said.

Meanwhile, the Internet service has been cut in all Iraqi provinces, except the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, since Wednesday.

Separately, an Interior Ministry source told reporters in Baghdad that two mortar rounds landed after midnight on the Green Zone, which houses the main government offices and some foreign embassies.

There was no casualty reported by the mortar attack, the source said.

Since Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces to express anger at the absence of improvement in basic services, including lack of electricity and clean water, and unemployment.

The demonstration turned violent in Baghdad as clashes erupted with the riot police, who fired in the air to disperse the demonstrators that were trying to cross al-Jumhoriyah Bridge to reach the once heavily-fortified Green Zone.

More demonstrations spread across Baghdad neighborhoods as protesters blocked the streets and set fire to dozens of tires, causing smoke over the city.

The protesters also blocked the main street of Baghdad airport as dozens seized the facility's main entrance.

The clashes resulted in the killing of over 10 protesters and the wounding of hundreds others, including dozens of security members, according to the latest official data.

On Wednesday, the Iraqi Defense Minister Najah al-Shammari said in a statement that he has decided to raise the state of alert for the Iraqi armed forces "to preserve state sovereignty and protect all foreign embassies and diplomatic missions operating in Iraq."