Iraqis turned out Monday to mourn a prominent activist gunned down the previous evening, the latest violent episode in anti-government demonstrations in which more than 450 people have died.
That came as Iraq's foreign ministry summoned four Western envoys over their condemnation of a deadly attack against protesters at the weekend.
Iraq's capital and its Shiite-majority south have been gripped by more than two months of rallies against corruption, poor public services and a lack of jobs.
Prominent civil society activist Fahem al-Tai was killed in a drive-by shooting in the city of Karbala late Sunday while returning home from protests.
Hundreds joined his funeral procession Monday, carrying 53-year-old Tai's coffin through the city's streets.
"We will not forget our martyrs," read one sign carried by tearful protesters.
The country is expected to see widespread protests on Tuesday, marking two years since Iraq defeated the ISIS terror group.
Activists have called for massive marches from other Iraqi cities towards Baghdad, but paramilitary leaders have warned such protests would be “ruinous,” reported AFP.
"It will bring the most massive chaos yet to Baghdad," said Qais al-Khazali, the head of the prominent Asaib Ahl al-Haq armed faction, who was recently blacklisted by the US.
Asaib Ahl al-Haq is one of the most powerful groups in Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a network of armed groups integrated into the state.
PMF chief Faleh al-Fayyadh over the weekend ordered the factions to stay away from rallies.
Ambassadors summoned
Founded in 2014 to fight ISIS who had seized swathes of northern Iraq and neighboring Syria, the PMF is made up of mostly Shiite factions, many of which have been backed by Iran.
It initially backed the government over protests but switched sides, although protesters fear PMF fighters' presence at rallies could derail their anti-regime movement.
Demonstrators are seeking a comeback after an attack on a major Baghdad protest site left 20 protesters and four police officers dead, sparking nationwide outrage.
The British, French and German ambassadors to Iraq condemned the violence in a meeting with caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi, who resigned on December 1.
"No armed group should be able to operate outside of the control of the state," the envoys said in a statement, urging the government to "urgently investigate".
The envoys also pressed the government to implement its recent order that the PMF "stay away from protest locations".
In response, Iraq's foreign ministry on Monday summoned all three ambassadors as well as their Canadian counterpart, who had similarly condemned the violence.
The ministry said their comments were an "unacceptable intervention in Iraq's internal affairs".
A diplomatic source told AFP the envoys were "not surprised" at having been summoned, particularly after the PM had defended his government in response to their criticism at the earlier meeting.
In addition to those killed, dozens of protesters went missing after the attack on the parking complex and have yet to resurface, their relatives told AFP.
Demonstrators have for weeks complained of being monitored, threatened and harassed in an intimidation campaign aimed at blunting their movement.
Since October 1, the youth-led rallies have accused the ruling class both of being inept and corrupt and of being heavily influenced by neighboring Iran.
President Barham Salih has until December 17 to name a replacement premier, and political parties are deep in talks to agree on a consensus candidate.
