Arbil police chief denies protest, clashes

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: A chief of local police in Arbil denied on Monday any protest or clashes with civilians. “Arbil did not witness any clashes or protest,” Abdulkhaleq Talaat told IraqiNews.com news agency, noting that there was a gathering of students near Salah al-Din University on the occasion of graduation. A member of al-Taghier (Change) movement, Karwan Saleh, had said earlier that “a group of university professors, clerics and students staged on Monday a demonstration in Salah al-Din University, but the Asayesh forces dispersed them and clashes with them, during which 22 persons were wounded.” “Mohammad Kayani, a member of the Kurdistan’s parliament, are among the casualties,” he added. “Gunmen wearing civilian clothes clashed with the students gathered near the High Education Ministry in the city of Arbil,” an eyewitness said. “They also attacked journalists and everyone holding a camera,” he noted. SH (TP) 884