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| At Least 9 Killed as Iraqi Protesters Confront Army | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BAGHDAD — At least seven protesters and two soldiers were killed on Friday in clashes that started after Iraqi Army forces opened fire on demonstrators who had pelted them with rocks on the outskirts of Falluja, west of Baghdad. It was the first deadly confrontation in more than a month of antigovernment protests by mostly Sunni opponents of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. | |
| As a result, a curfew was imposed on Falluja in the evening of Friday. | |
| A security official said one clash started when protesters began throwing rocks at government forces at a checkpoint near a main highway. The forces opened fire, and demonstrators responded by burning army vehicles and two cars, one belonging to a lawmaker from the mainly Sunni Iraqiya bloc and the other to a local politician from the province, Anbar. Seven civilians were killed and 44 people were wounded, according to medical sources. | |
| Videos posted online by the Iraqi Spring Media Centre show a man being treated in the main Falluja hospital and people trudging across open tracts of land with little cover from the intense rounds of gunfire. | Videos posted online by the Iraqi Spring Media Centre show a man being treated in the main Falluja hospital and people trudging across open tracts of land with little cover from the intense rounds of gunfire. |
| Later, unidentified gunmen shot dead two soldiers and wounded one at an army checkpoint south of Falluja, in apparent retaliation, and gunmen kidnapped three soldiers, a police official said. | Later, unidentified gunmen shot dead two soldiers and wounded one at an army checkpoint south of Falluja, in apparent retaliation, and gunmen kidnapped three soldiers, a police official said. |
| The Iraqi Defense Ministry later broadcast a statement saying it would investigate and punish those responsible for the gunfire, while compensating the people who were harmed. | The Iraqi Defense Ministry later broadcast a statement saying it would investigate and punish those responsible for the gunfire, while compensating the people who were harmed. |
| Sectarian unrest and political tension have been worsening since December, when security forces loyal to Mr. Maliki, a Shiite, raided the home of the country’s Sunni finance minister. | Sectarian unrest and political tension have been worsening since December, when security forces loyal to Mr. Maliki, a Shiite, raided the home of the country’s Sunni finance minister. |
| The raid revived accusations by Sunnis and others that Mr. Maliki and his political bloc were seeking to monopolize power before provincial elections in April. Mr. Maliki, who became prime minister during the American-led military occupation of Iraq, has denied the accusations and rejected demands to resign. | The raid revived accusations by Sunnis and others that Mr. Maliki and his political bloc were seeking to monopolize power before provincial elections in April. Mr. Maliki, who became prime minister during the American-led military occupation of Iraq, has denied the accusations and rejected demands to resign. |
| Protests have been seething since then, mostly intensifying on Fridays, when the week’s largest communal prayer sessions are held, inspiring what are now known as “No Retreat Fridays.” There were also demonstrations in Ninevah, Salahuddin, Diyala and Kirkuk provinces calling for government reforms. | Protests have been seething since then, mostly intensifying on Fridays, when the week’s largest communal prayer sessions are held, inspiring what are now known as “No Retreat Fridays.” There were also demonstrations in Ninevah, Salahuddin, Diyala and Kirkuk provinces calling for government reforms. |
| “The army must get out of Anbar now and leave it to the police forces, because the people are very angry about the direct gunfire from the army toward the peaceful protesters,” said a local religious leader, Imam Ahmed Deri, who was at the demonstration in Falluja. | “The army must get out of Anbar now and leave it to the police forces, because the people are very angry about the direct gunfire from the army toward the peaceful protesters,” said a local religious leader, Imam Ahmed Deri, who was at the demonstration in Falluja. |
| “We will continue protesting and this will give us more strength to face any kind of force,” he added. While warning about the potential for retaliation from protesters angered over the shooting, he added, “We will do our best to keep it peaceful.” | “We will continue protesting and this will give us more strength to face any kind of force,” he added. While warning about the potential for retaliation from protesters angered over the shooting, he added, “We will do our best to keep it peaceful.” |
| One of the protesters, Muhammed Abdula, said: “This army is not wanted here anymore. We will not allow them in anymore; we are peaceful protesters. The army must protect us, not attack us. Is this the democracy that Maliki talks about? We give them words and they give us gunfire?” | One of the protesters, Muhammed Abdula, said: “This army is not wanted here anymore. We will not allow them in anymore; we are peaceful protesters. The army must protect us, not attack us. Is this the democracy that Maliki talks about? We give them words and they give us gunfire?” |
| In Nineveh, thousands of protesters called on the government to step down. | In Nineveh, thousands of protesters called on the government to step down. |
| “Today we protest in Mosul, tomorrow we take the streets of Baghdad,” they shouted. | “Today we protest in Mosul, tomorrow we take the streets of Baghdad,” they shouted. |
| But in Firdous Square in Baghdad, where United States forces orchestrated the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in 2003, hundreds gathered to support Mr. Maliki’s government and to demand that efforts be made to prevent the return of Baathist leaders like Mr. Hussein to power. | But in Firdous Square in Baghdad, where United States forces orchestrated the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in 2003, hundreds gathered to support Mr. Maliki’s government and to demand that efforts be made to prevent the return of Baathist leaders like Mr. Hussein to power. |
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Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York. | Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York. |