Massive protest demonstrations were staged in several cities of Southern Kurdistan Saturday evening. Taking to the streets in Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, Hewler (Erbil), Kelar, Ranya and Sheladize, people called for the resignation of the regional government over its silence on Turkey’s occupation attacks, the economic crisis in the country, non-payment of salaries and issues with health services.

In Sulaymaniyah, hundreds of people gathered at the Freedom Park and expressed their reaction as they called on the government to resign.

People who joined the protest in Ranya were attacked by the local security forces (Asayish) with rubber bullets and pepper gas. While the demonstrators responded with stones, many of them were taken into custody.

In Kelar, people gathered at the Leyla Khasim Park and marched to the district governor’s office. As the attack by security forces resulted in a turmoil, demonstrators set fire to the security cabin at the entrance of the building.

The protests in Halabja did not end until the night of Sunday. In the afternoon, a protest march was staged through the town without incident. Here too, slogans calling for the resignation of the government stood out. In the evening mainly young people took to the streets again. It is said that a part of the district administration building, a police checkpoint and the town hall were set on fire. Six people were injured, three of them by rubber bullets.

In the town of Sheladize, in Duhok countryside, officials imposed a curfew ahead of the protest demonstration against Turkey’s attacks. The ruling KDP’s security forces banned entry and exit and forced the people to shut down their businesses in an attempt to hamper protests.