A group of Iraqi men injured in nationwide protests that began in 2019 have gone to Germany for medical treatment.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi met members of the group, some of whom were in wheelchairs and unable to walk, before they left from Baghdad International Airport on Friday.
The government has also been involved in organising for other injured protesters to receive treatment in India and Turkey.
“During the meeting Mr Al Kadhimi assured the men that the government had fulfilled its promise and fulfilled their request for treatment outside Iraq,” the prime minister's office said.
The men heading to Germany for treatment were injured when thousands of Iraqis took to the streets in Baghdad and southern Iraq in October 2019, to protest against corruption, unemployment, poor living standards and foreign interference.
The mostly young protesters accused the political establishment of rampant corruption and demanded an end to a political system divided along sectarian and ethnic lines.
Protesters, who were mostly unarmed, were confronted by violent, armed assailants and hundreds of people were killed. Others were abducted by masked men.
The demonstrations forced Adel Abdul Mahdi to resign as prime minister in late 2019.
His successor Mr Al Kadhimi, who took office in May 2020, vowed to bring the killers to justice and for an “impartial and independent” investigation into the killing and abduction of protesters.
However, the government has failed to identify perpetrators.
Mr Al Kadhimi praised the men for their sacrifices in pushing for reforms, before their flight left for Germany.
The hashtag “October's injured” was trending on Twitter with pictures of the men in Baghdad airport.
Noor Nafea Ali, a human rights activist, said no action would be equivalent to the sacrifices the protesters had made for Iraq.
“Thank you to those who played an important role in supporting you and facilitating the travel process for the protesters to receive treatment outside the country,” Ms Ali said on Twitter.
“This was the result of a strong campaign” that urged the government to treat those badly wounded, she said.
