Iraqis demand new govt amid spike in regional tensions

Amid strong security measures and despite the deployment of troops across several cities, demonstrators on Friday chanted slogans against Washington and Tehran for turning Iraq into an arena for settling their scores, reports Efe news.

Protesters slammed the "corrupt" Iraqi politic who they consider to have allowed this to happen.

Organiser Sabah Nabil told Efe news that the demonstrations in which thousands of people participated across the country were a response to calls in the last three days.

He added that participation in the capital's Tahrir Square was much bigger than in the last few weeks.

Nabil said that their demands remained the same and that a new Prime Minister should be chosen who is independent and only has Iraqi citizenship so that the suffering of the people could end and pave the way for further autonomy.

Protesters also demanded early polls under an honest election commission and overseen by the UN.

But some demands have taken a back seat since the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad by the US later followed by Tehran's missile attack against two US military bases in Iraq.

These protests come amid an escalation of tensions in the Middle East which was set off by the killing of Soleimani on January 3.

On Wednesday, Iran responded with a missile attack against two military bases used by the US in western and northern Iraq.

( With inputs from IANS )