Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi security forces dispersed a protest by farmersin Baghdad’s Tahrir Square on Sunday using water hoses and electric stundevices, leaving at least 17 people injured, according to the GeneralFederation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations.
Farmers from central and southern provinces marchedtoward the Green Zone demanding payment of overdue entitlements andcompensation for previous agricultural seasons, Shafaq News correspondentreported. The federation backed the demands, describing them as “legitimate andpursued through legal channels,” and called on the government to issue a formalapology.
It also noted that security forces removed traditional agal headpieces—cords worn over the headscarf— from some tribal figures among the protesters.
In response, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed ShiaAl-Sudani said he is following the farmers’ demands and the dispersal of theirpeaceful gathering, directing authorities to receive all requests and open aninvestigation into the conduct of security forces. He reaffirmed thegovernment’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector and addressingits needs.
The protest comes amid mounting pressure on Iraq’sagricultural sector, with calls for concrete measures to support farmers,stabilize incomes, and strengthen domestic production.
: Rooted in soil: An Iraqi farmer holds on as the land changes
