Iraq’s PM Rejects Use of Live Ammunition to Disperse Protestors

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. AP file photo
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. AP file photo
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Iraq’s PM Rejects Use of Live Ammunition to Disperse Protestors

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. AP file photo
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. AP file photo

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi renewed Wednesday the government’s stance on steering clear from the use of live ammunition against demonstrators.

During a meeting for the Iraqi National Security Council (INSC), the PM rejected attempted attacks on private and public properties and the use of live ammunition to disperse protesters. But he called for providing security forces with the proper equipment to fulfill their duties.

Kadhimi commended their efforts to confront terrorist and criminal gangs and to impose security and stability.

He also emphasized his full support for the army, police, and all security personnel.

The prime minister directed the security commanders to be present at demonstrations in order to protect the protesters, and private and public properties.

A statement from Kadhimi's office said that the meeting discussed the recent developments in the country and measures to improve the efficiency of the security forces as they face enormous security challenges.

The INSC also approved a plan for Iraq to join the Joint Counter-Terrorism taskforce in the Middle East and North Africa.



Netanyahu Says Israel Is Establishing a New Security Corridor across Gaza

An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)
An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)
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Netanyahu Says Israel Is Establishing a New Security Corridor across Gaza

An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)
An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is establishing a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Wednesday, he described it as the Morag corridor, using the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, suggesting it would run between the two southern cities.

His comments came as Palestinian officials at hospitals inside Gaza said Israeli strikes overnight and into Wednesday had killed more than 40 people, nearly a dozen of them children.

The Israeli government has long maintained a buffer zone just inside Gaza along its security fence and has greatly expanded since the war against Hamas began in 2023. Israel says the buffer zone is needed for its security, while Palestinians view it as a land grab that further shrinks the narrow coastal territory, home to around 2 million people.