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Fierce Clashes in Iraq’s South Despite Scorching Heat

Iraqi demonstrators are seen as they clash with Iraqi security forces during ongoing anti-government protests, in Nasiriyah, Iraq. File photo: Reuters
Iraqi demonstrators are seen as they clash with Iraqi security forces during ongoing anti-government protests, in Nasiriyah, Iraq. File photo: Reuters
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Fierce Clashes in Iraq’s South Despite Scorching Heat

Iraqi demonstrators are seen as they clash with Iraqi security forces during ongoing anti-government protests, in Nasiriyah, Iraq. File photo: Reuters
Iraqi demonstrators are seen as they clash with Iraqi security forces during ongoing anti-government protests, in Nasiriyah, Iraq. File photo: Reuters

Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets of al-Nasiriyah city in Dhi Qar governorate, despite temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius, to protest corruption and lack of government services.

In the latest wave of protests, videos circulated by activists showed hundreds of protesters crossing the “Hadarat Bridge” on their tuk-tuk vehicles and motorcycles towards al-Haboubi Square, chanting slogans against corruption and demanding the dismissal of local officials.

Dozens demonstrated in front of Dhi Qar Oil Company and blocked three of its gates with burning tires. They also demonstrated outside the Diwan of the governorate.

Protesters in the Shyoukh market district and other areas in the governorate forced officials to shut public institutions, and called for the removal of the governor.

Thousands of contract-employees in the Southwest Networks Directorate demanded authorities pay their overdue salaries. They also called for changing their contracts to improve their monthly wages.

The governor of Dhi Qar, Nazim al-Waeli, met with the protesters and vowed to take a series of measures to improve services, noting that his administration will continue to dismiss corrupt officials.

Waeli asserted that any official against whom there is evidence of corruption, will never be allowed to return to his position and will be referred to the competent authorities for accountability. He hoped to meet the demands of the peaceful protests and improve services.

Official documents seen by activists showed that Waeli approved the resignation of about 20 officials.

Activist Raad al-Ghazzi told Asharq al-Awsat that some parties stand behind the protests, which serve their interests and not that of locals or the city.

A number of directors of the health, education and municipalities departments last month submitted their resignations under the pressure of popular demands.

Member of the Youth of Change coalition Abbas al-Saadawi believes that protests are essential to force corrupt individuals to resign.

Saadawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that local officials of Nasiriyah and all regions of Dhi Qar are indifferent to the suffering of the people. He indicated that even though the governorate has the largest power plant in the country, many households do not have electricity, which led protesters to call for the resignation of the plant's director.

He added that parties and people with influence insist on placing their loyalists in government positions without taking competency into consideration, which pushes people to protest.

Dhi Qar governorate is one of the cradles of Iraqi protests that erupted in October 2019.

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Israel Attempts to Penetrate Second Line of Villages in Southern Lebanon

Trails of Israeli missiles launched towards targets in southern Lebanon, as seen from an undisclosed location in northern Israel, 18 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)
Trails of Israeli missiles launched towards targets in southern Lebanon, as seen from an undisclosed location in northern Israel, 18 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)
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Israel Attempts to Penetrate Second Line of Villages in Southern Lebanon

Trails of Israeli missiles launched towards targets in southern Lebanon, as seen from an undisclosed location in northern Israel, 18 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)
Trails of Israeli missiles launched towards targets in southern Lebanon, as seen from an undisclosed location in northern Israel, 18 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)

Relative calm prevailed in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday after a day of intense Israeli strikes. In the South, Israel also scaled back its air raids as its forces clashed with Hezbollah on the second line of villages that it is trying to penetrate.

Israel is trying to ramp up its pressure on the field hours before US envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to arrive in Beirut where Lebanon and Hezbollah have agreed to a US ceasefire proposal.

On the ground, Israel now controls a first line of villages and is trying to capture the second line, specifically in the western sector through the village of Chamaa and the eastern sector towards al-Khiam.

Khiam witnessed relentless Israeli artillery fire throughout the night. Israel also targeted the towns of Jdeide, Marjeyoun and Bourj al-Mamlouk, reported Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

Hezbollah announced in a series of statements that it had fired rockets at Israeli forces in Khiam on four occasions. The Iran-backed party’s al-Manar television reported that Israeli armored vehicles were moving in the fields of al-Wazzani towards Khiam.

Hours earlier, the Israeli army announced that it had deployed artillery batteries inside Lebanese territory, a first since it intensified its attacks against Hezbollah in October.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said the artillery was deployed to provide support for the ground operations as the forces advance towards new goals.

Former deputy chief of staff of operations in the Lebanese Armed Forces retired General Hassan Jouni and founder and CEO of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA) Riad Kahwaji agreed that the deployment of the artillery was normal in the field battle.

Jouni told Asharq Al-Awsat that the first line of villages was now under Israeli control through fire, while Kahwaji said they are effectively occupied and now Israel can advance on the second line.

Jouni disagreed on calling it an occupation, saying Israel was controlling it by force. Its military can roam the area, but it still comes under attack. It has also not built any defensive posts that allow it to establish a permanent position in the area.

The deployment of the artillery will not have a major impact on the fighting. Rather, it is aimed at firing deeper in Lebanon, he explained.

In offensive operations, artillery batteries are moved forward as forces advance. This is what Israel is doing. It has moved up to the second line of villages, but does not consolidate its occupation of villages, he said.

The first line will become occupied once Israel seizes control of the second, Jouni went on to say.

As it stands, the army is being met with fierce resistance by Hezbollah on the second line, especially in the Tayr Harfa region and leading to Chamaa.

Chamaa is significant because it lies between two valleys and is the only route to al-Bayyada, whose capture would be a major achievement given its geographic location, Jouni said.

Kahwaji, meanwhile, asserted that the first line of villages has been occupied by Israel, which has allowed it to move on to the second line.

The deployment of the artillery confirms this advance. Moreover, the forces will be stationed around the artillery to defend it, so they would have effectively established a foothold in the area.

On the ground, an Israeli airstrike targeted the main water facility in the southern port city of Tyre, killing two local officials and injuring two others, further compounding southern Lebanon’s worsening water crisis, Lebanon’s state media said.

The attack severely damaged the facility, prompting the Tyre Municipality to urge residents to ration water use until repairs can be made, NNA said on Monday.

Those killed in the attack included Samer Shaghri, a local elected official called a mukhtar who handles residents’ administrative affairs, and Qassem Wehbi, the deputy mayor of Burj al-Shamali, a town east of Tyre.

This strike is part of a broader pattern of bombardments in the 13-month conflict between Hezbollah and Israel that, according to an October 22 UNICEF report, have damaged at least 28 water facilities, cutting off access to safe water for over 360,000 people, primarily in southern Lebanon.

UNICEF’s report quoted Lebanon’s caretaker Minister of Energy, Walid Fayyad, who said, “The ongoing hostilities have inflicted severe damage on Lebanon’s essential services, leaving hundreds of thousands without access to safe water and electricity.”