The seventh day of anti-government protests in Suleimaniyah,
Iraqi Kurdistan ended peacefully, today. The “White Group,” a non-violent group of citizens
sympathetic to reform including actors, writers and lawyers, again deployed
itself between the protesters and the security forces. Towards the end of the protest, the
group, together with other protesters, managed to avert a riot. A small group of protesters sought to
assault the soldiers and march on the KDP office, where security guards had
opened fire on protesters last Thursday, killing at least two, and wounding
dozens. The White Group organized
several human chains to prevent a confrontation with the military, and talked
to the violent group to de-escalate the situation. CPTers stood with the White Group today.
Pictures from today, 23 February