Thousands of Iraqis return to streets despite spiraling death toll

Thousands of Iraqi protesters stream into streets and public squares in the capital and restive south on Sunday, saying they are not deterred by deadly violence meant to “scare” them.

In Baghdad, crowds of anti-government demonstrators throng Tahrir Square, the epicenter of their movement.

Late Friday, unidentified gunmen attacked a parking complex near Tahrir where demonstrators had been squatting for weeks, leaving 20 protesters and four police officers dead, medics tell AFP.

Protesters feared it signaled that their movement would be derailed but by Sunday, the numbers gathered under the sun in Tahrir are staggering.

“They’re trying to scare us in whatever ways they can, but we’re staying in the streets,” says Aisha, a 23-year-old protester.

At least 452 people — the vast majority of them protesters — have died and 20,000 have been wounded since the rallies erupted.

— AFP