Attacks on media stations in Iraq. WTF? Seems serious and deadly

[Roland99]

Link to tweet

Joyce Karam
✔
@Joyce_Karam
UPDATE #Iraq Attack on Press:

• Masked Gunmen Raided:
Dijla,NRT, Arabiya, Hadath, Fallouja, Alghad Araby, Sharqiya & Skynews AR TVs: @hiwaosman
• Arabiya staffer in Critical condition, others injured
• Destroyed 🎥, studios, cellphones
• Police refrained from help (Arabiya)

Link to tweet

These are the few stations left covering the protests from Baghdad. Attacking them could be to prevent coverage.

Also shows both #Iraq Gov complacency in protecting press or worse collusion if reports are true that the Iraqi police refrained.

Thoughts with colleagues attacked..

Link to tweet

@Hadona10
·
15m
Replying to
@Joyce_Karam
and
@Hiwaosman
Insurgents have stormed the headquarters of Al-Arabiya TV in Baghdad, burned the office of the Dijlah TV station in Baghdad, stopped the NRT channel’s broadcast
#save_the_lraqi_people

[alittlelark]

1. OK..... kinda scary.......

[Roland99]

2. Nearly 100 dead in Iraq protests as demonstrations continue into fifth day

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/iraq-protests-death-toll-climbs-to-nearly-100-as-protests-continue-into-fifth-day-2019-10-05/

The death toll from anti-government protests in Iraq rose to nearly 100 on Saturday, the fifth day of protests, the country's parliamentary human rights commission said. Additionally, Saudi-owned television station Al-Arabiya said masked gunmen stormed their Baghdad offices, injuring several employees and smashing their equipment.

Security agencies fatally shot 19 protesters and wounded more than three dozen. Authorities have been trying to control the protests through curfews and a near-total internet blackout, according to BBC News.

The semiofficial Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights put the death toll at 94 and said nearly 4,000 people have been wounded since Tuesday, when mostly young demonstrators spontaneously initiated the rallies to demand jobs, improvements to electricity, water and other services, and an end to corruption in the oil-rich nation.

The violent deadlock presented the conflict-scarred nation with its most serious challenge since the defeat of ISIS two years ago and deepened the political crisis of a country still struggling with the legacy of multiple, unfinished wars since the U.S. invasion in 2003.

[Roland99]

3. The Latest: Gunmen attack TV offices in Baghdad amid unrest

https://amp.macon.com/news/nation-world/article235831397.html

The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel says masked gunmen who arrived in black cars wearing black clothes stormed the offices of the station in Abu Nawas street Saturday evening, beat up some of the employees and smashed equipment before they fled.

Majed Hamid, the channel's correspondent in Baghdad, said several colleagues were injured. He added that the station had been receiving threats for several days.

Gunmen also attacked the offices of Iraq's Dajla and NRT news channels in Baghdad, according to employees at the stations. Both of those stations are privately owned.

Iraq has been gripped by violence since Tuesday, when anti-government protests started. Security forces have fired live ammunition and tear gas in a desperate attempt to suppress them. Dozens of people have been killed.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. What Pottery Barn?

Biden and McCain said this would happen.