Iraqi officials: 27 wounded in renewed fighting in Baghdad

2019-11-20 12:00:09

Iraqi security officials say at least 27 protesters have been wounded in renewed clashes overnight in central Baghdad. The officials say the clashes occurred between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Wednesday near the Ahrar Bridge in the center of the capital. They spoke on condition of anonymity under regulations. Iraqi security forces used tear gas to repel demonstrators from advancing to the fortified Green Zone, the seat of government. There were no fatalities. The protesters had occupied one side of the bridge, with security forces deployed on the other. At least 320 protesters have been killed and thousands wounded since the unrest began on Oct. 1, when tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets outraged by government corruption and poor basic services despite Iraq’s vast oil wealth.