Iraq says all evidence points to 'malicious hands' in protests

Iraqi officials say there are "malicious hands" behind the killing of both protesters and security forces during the recent spate of unrest in Baghdad and some other cities. 

Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan confirmed for the first time on Sunday that 104 people had been killed, including eight security officers, and more than 6,000 wounded in the protests.

Maan said the ministry was working with other government institutions to find out who was behind the killings. According to medical sources, the majority of protesters killed were struck by bullets.

The protests began last Tuesday, with demonstrators calling for better living conditions. The rallies soon turned into riots as some protesters started vandalizing public properties and attempted to enter the Green Zone in the capital Baghdad -- which houses government offices and foreign diplomatic missions.

On Saturday night, armed elements and violent rioters attempted to take over local TV stations in Baghdad after the government removed a days-long curfew.

Maan said protesters burned 51 public buildings and eight political party headquarters but Iraqi security forces did not confront them.  

Confronted by its biggest challenge since coming to power just under a year ago, Abdul-Mahdi's cabinet issued a decree including 17 planned reforms, such as land distributions and increased welfare stipends for needy families.

Authorities have asked protesters to give them time to implement reform. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the top Shia cleric of Iraq, on Friday urged security forces and protesters to avoid violence.

Iraq declared victory over the Daesh terrorist group at the end of 2017 -- after nearly four years of conflict.

The violence comes as millions of Shia pilgrims are preparing to travel to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to attend Arba'een ceremonies, marking the fortieth day after the martyrdom anniversary of their third Imam, Hussein ibn Ali (AS).

Iraq recently reopened its al-Qa'im border crossing with Syria and accused the occupying regime of Israel of orchestrating a string of recent drone strikes on Iraqi popular mobilization forces.

Tehran-based political analyst Hussein Sheikholeslam said Saturday the unrest is a product of US efforts to weaken "the resistance axis," which is the key pillar of rising opposition to American and Israeli plans in the Middle East.

Hashd ready protect government, punish saboteurs

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), or Hashd al-Sha'abi, announced Monday that it is ready to help prevent "a coup d'etat or a rebellion" in the wake of the violence.

Faleh al-Fayyad, the PMU head and Iraq's national security Adviser, told reporters that he wanted to see "the fall of corruption, not the fall of the government."

He was referring to demands by some protesters for Abdul-Mahdi to step down in order to perform a complete overhaul of the country's political system.

"We tell the enemies and the conspirators that their efforts have failed," he said in a press conference. "We will defend the constitution and the government that we have established with our blood and our lives."

Fayyad said eradicating corruption and achieving economic prosperity is only possible if the government stays in office.

"The government and on top of it the prime minister do their best to complete the transition," Fayyad said. "In the absence of government security is lost and it is only within this framework that a solution can be reached."

He also pledged a crushing response to those who perpetrated violence and killed and injured people.

"We know who is behind letting some saboteurs infiltrate the demonstrations," he said, adding "we have footage and intelligence that we will present when time is appropriate."

Iraqi PM discusses situation with Pompeo

Abdul-Mahdi's office issued a statement on Monday, saying the prime minister had discussed the situation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

According to the statement, Abdul-Mahdi told the US top diplomat that the government was in full control and planning to continue taking practical steps to meet people's demands.

Later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Baghdad on what Moscow said was a two-day working trip.