Protesters warn of ‘decisive’ escalation after activist Dhirgham Majid shot in Babil

BABIL — Activists from Babil, Baghdad and other governorates gathered Tuesday evening in Al-Sa’a Square in Al-Hamza Al-Gharbi to protest an assassination attempt against activist Dhirgham Majid, warning of escalation if those responsible are not identified within 24 hours.

A statement issued during the protest held Babil Governor Ali Turki and police commander Abbas al-Zarkani responsible for the security breach.

The Central Committee of Protests in Iraq said armed groups carried out the attempt “in broad daylight and in front of security forces,” with the attackers fleeing the scene. “This act represents a blatant disregard for the people and an attempt to silence voices demanding legitimate rights,” the statement said.

The committee accused local authorities of failing to act promptly, saying the delay “places the concerned authorities under direct accusation of negligence.” It called on the Iraqi judiciary to pressure executive authorities to conduct transparent investigations and urged parliament members to exercise oversight.

Failure to identify those responsible within 24 hours would trigger “a decisive national stance” across Iraq’s governorates, the statement warned.

Majid was wounded earlier Tuesday after two masked gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on him inside a grocery shop in Al-Hamza Al-Gharbi. A prominent civic organizer, he led a demonstration toward the Babil council building in January calling for the appointment of a specific governor candidate, and in October 2025 announced a mass Baghdad march marking the anniversary of the 2019 protest movement, demanding judicial reform, accountability for corruption and the release of detainees.