This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
On November 9, 2019, Iraqi security forces clashed with protesters in Baghdad, retaking control of key bridges over the River Tigris.
According to reports, the security forces used tear gas, live and rubber bullets, and even machine guns to keep the protesters back.
The bridges, including Al-Sinek, Al-Shuhada, and Al-Ahrar, link the east bank of the river, where the main protest camps are located, with neighborhoods on the west bank that are home to government offices and foreign embassies.
Amnesty International later found that the military-grade tear gas canisters used by the security forces were made in Serbia or Iran.
At least 16 protesters were killed by the tear gas canisters, which were fired at point-blank range, according to the United Nations.
Since demonstrations erupted on October 1, nearly 300 people have been killed in protest-related violence, according to an AFP toll.
