25 people were killed and it is estimated that around 130 others were injured in Baghdad on the 6^th of December. This huge loss of life and cause of injury comes from a group of pro-government gunmen who opened fire during demonstrations in central Iraq. CNN reports that this is one of the biggest violent flare-ups that Iraq has seen in weeks. Thousands of anti-government demonstrators turned up to protest in Tahrir Square where the gunmen – who remain unidentified – opened fire. This is not the first group to turn up and defend the government against the protesters; in, fact they have formed large pro-government militias who have been forcefully moving in on the protesters for some time now. The unrest comes as a result of Prime Minister Adli Abdul Mahdi resigning from his position just a week before the protests. Pressure for Mahdi’s resignation was the main goal of the protests that went on for two months. The political climate has been seeing extreme unrest, with hundreds killed and thousands injured for an exhausting amount of time, but the people are strong and willing to continue to fight for their voices to be heard by the government without exception. In fact, protesters were back to demonstrating just an hour after the violence.

The government’s failure to respond to protesters and contain violence has been condemned by Grand Ayatolla Ali al-Sistani. He has also placed blame on the government for economic instability, high unemployment rates, and the allowance for foreign interference. CNN reported that protesters also agree that international interference, particularly from Iran, has fueled many of the issues they are contesting. This is a critical time for the government to make moves to improve the situation, as it is only becoming more heated with every wrong move. BBC has also reported that activists are calling for the government to step down and for the United Nations to oversee early elections in the hope that a resolution can be found for the current dire situation.

Clearly the people are calling for a better life, and their anger towards the government runs deep. To resolve the issue, the people must be prioritized and heard. Peace should be the ultimate goal for a government facing violence like what Baghdad has just seen. To reach peace, as mentioned already, violence needs to be contained and needs should be met. It is now likely that a resolution will only be found if the government is to follow the erstwhile Prime Minister’s lead and step down from office, and new leaders are elected.

When the protests began back in October, people began to voice their needs regarding corruption and poor quality of life. They were met with extreme force from the governments, creating a heated political and social atmosphere. TIME magazine reported that people continued to feel as though aid money was not being used properly, and more feelings of betrayal and corruption spread, fueling the fire. Protesters wanted to see that those responsible for the corruption were going to be held accountable, and for laws to change and be in favour of the people.

In conclusion, anger has been building for a long time, and this fire that has been burning since October is only burning brighter. The international community can expect this fight to rage until the people of Iraq are not only heard but responded to with change and representation in their government.