Iraqi Forces Open Fire on Kurdish Protesters Chanting, 'Get Out'

Iraqi forces opened fire on Kurdish protesters in Khanaqin, located in Iraq on the Iranian border, on October 19.

In this video, protesters holding Kurdish flags can be heard chanting, “Get out.” At 0:55, the colors of the Iraqi flag are visible on the arm of one of the men wearing military uniforms standing in front of the protesters. At 1:16, gunshots are audible, and the crowd of protesters turns and runs.

The person filming falls to the ground at 1:50. At 2:32, he crawls on the ground, briefly revealing his face. He is moaning in pain, and his face closely resembles the face of an injured man who appears in other videos from the scene. He sits on the ground, and at 4:15, men lift him as they move down the street.

At least one person was killed after locals emerged onto the streets in anger after what they said was abuse of locals by militias aligned with the Iraqi government, Rudaw, a Kurdish news outlet, said. The local hospital said one person was killed and six injured.

Iraqi forces entered Khanaqin on October 17 as part of a wide-scale operation against Kurdish-held areas in the wake of an independence referendum. Credit: Facebook/Zaalan Tabak Marad via Storyful