Iraq's President on clashes at the Green zone's gates: everyone must exercise restraint

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraqi President Barham Salih expressed his regret over the clashes between the security forces and the demonstrators objecting to the election results at the gates of the Green Zone.

Salih said on Twitter, "peaceful demonstration is a constitutionally guaranteed right, and it is necessary not to deviate from its peaceful, legal framework," adding, "the clashes between the security forces and the demonstrators are unfortunate and unacceptable, and the investigation should be followed up."

He added, "Protecting public security is a national duty, and everyone must exercise restraint and put the national interest above all else."

The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environmental announced on Friday that 125 protesters and security forces were injured during the conflicts in central Baghdad.

In a statement, the ministry said, "The institutions of the Ministry of Health in Baghdad received 125 injuries in which 27 are civilians, and 98 are from the security forces."

According to the statement, no deaths were recorded.

Violent confrontations broke out between the demonstrators and the security forces when the popular gathering tried to storm the Green Zone. The security forces prevented them by firing rubber bullets and tear gas canisters.

On Thursday, the "preparatory committee for the demonstrations rejecting the election results" in Iraq threatened to escalate in the next stage if the announced results were preserved.

 The committee called for "peaceful demonstrations to be held under the slogan "Friday of the Last Chance" before they start another (unspecified) stage."

 The protesters, supporters of the losing forces, led by the Al-Fateh Alliance, are calling for a manual recount of all stations across the country.