Iraq unrest Day 3: Counter-terror forces deployed
Tehran (KNA) - Hundreds of Iraqi protesters have returned to the streets of the capital Baghdad to begin the third day of what began as peaceful protests against corruption but soon turned into a deadly unrest to bring down the government.
The demonstrators gathered in Baghdad's central Tahrir (Freedom) Square on Sunday, continuing a second wave of protests that began Friday.
Young men erected barricades on a bridge leading to Baghdad's fortified Green Zone -- where Iraqi government buildings and foreign diplomatic missions are located -- in a bid to counter security forces who kept firing tear gas canisters to prevent them from entering the area.
As the unrest turned more violent, Iraq's elite Counter-Terrorism Service announced Sunday that it had deployed to the streets of the capital in order to protect important state buildings "from undisciplined elements."
Reuters quoted unnamed security sources as saying Saturday that the counter-terrorism forces have been told to "use all necessary measures" to end the protests.
The elite units clashed with protesters in the southern city of Nassiriya on Saturday night and arrested dozens of them.
They also attempted to disperse demonstrations in Tahrir Square but some protesters have regrouped.
So far, at least 67 Iraqis have been killed and hundreds more wounded in the second bout of unrest targeting Prime Minister Adel-Abdul Mahdi's government.
Source: PressTV