Officials say that scuffles between supporters of pro-Iran Shiite militias who had camped outside Baghdad’s Green Zone and anti-riot police turned deadly on Friday, killing one protester and injuring scores of others, mostly Iraqi security forces.
The protesters were angry about the results of last month’s parliamentary elections, which saw pro-Iran militias come on top.
The injuries in the early Friday scuffles, according to the health ministry, were mostly caused by smoke inhalation and rock throwing. The majority of those injured were riot police officers. The cause of the clashes was unknown.
After a day of tense rallies and tussles between Iraqi forces and protesters who have been camped outside the Green Zone for over three weeks, there were reports of an exchange of fire after dark Friday.
According to a statement from Iraq’s joint security operations room, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has ordered an investigation into Friday’s violence to determine what sparked the clashes and who disobeyed orders not to open fire.
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