Around 45 protesters in Iraq have reportedly been shot dead by security forces on Thursday as violence in the region continues to escalate. The bulk of those who were shot were protesters who stormed the Iranian consulate and set fire to the building. The deaths have been seen as a major turning point in the escalating violence caused by public protests against Iraq's Tehran-backed government officials.
In various locations in Iraq, government forces and military personnel clashed with protesters on Thursday. In the southern city of Nassiriya, troops killed at least 29 people after demonstrators blocked a bridge within the city before dawn.
In Baghdad, at least four people were reportedly killed by security forces after they opened fire on demonstrators who were gathered near the Tigris River. Another 12 protestors were reportedly killed in a separate clash in Najaf. Security forces were reportedly using a combination of live ammunition and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.
The series of clashes on Thursday were among the most violent since the uprising against the Tehran-backed government in October. The protests initially started with anti-corruption demonstrations, which eventually led to a full revolt against authorities.
Protesters claim that those that are in power in the country are nothing more than puppets of Tehran. The protesters, who are overwhelmingly Shi'ite, have accused officials of turning against their own people to please the Iranian government.
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has repeatedly stated his refusal to resign. Protests escalated after Abdul Mahdi met with senior politicians from Iran, including the commander of its Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force.
Iraqi officials mentioned in a statement that the unrest on Thursday was a clear threat to the Shi'ite clergy. Anyone who poses a threat to the country's most senior Shi'ite clerics will apparently be met with full force by paramilitary fighters.
Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who is siding with the protesters, issued a fresh call for government officials to resign. The influential religious leader also asked protesters to steer clear of religious sites so they don't give the government a solid reason to end the revolution. He also told the protesters who torched the Iranian consulate to avoid any similar actions as not to provoke the government to retaliate.
In response to the increasing violence in Iraq, Iran announced that it will be closing the Mehran border crossing for security reasons. According to border post officials, the unrest in Iraq has forced them to close the border for an indefinite amount of time.
