US May Deploy Tanks to Guard Syrian Oil Fields Move Reverses Trump’S Decision to Pull Troops
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NATION VIDEO GAMES NBA Calif. utility says Concrete Genie More women it may have tackles bullying, impact league ignited wildfire the environment in various roles Page 6 Page 15 Back page National Guard, Reserve members can now buy uniforms online » Page 3 Volume 78, No. 137A ©SS 2019 CONTINGENCY EDITION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2019 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas US may deploy tanks to guard Syrian oil fields Move reverses Trump’s decision to pull troops BY JOHN VANDIVER M1A2 Abrams Stars and Stripes tanks — like this one at Fort Irwin, The U.S. will send armored reinforcements to guard oil Calif., earlier this fields in Syria that President Donald Trump said also could month — are one serve as a safe area for Kurds who aided the Americans of the options before Turkey’s incursion into formerly Kurdish-held for mechanized Syrian territory. forces the U.S. can Defense Secretary Mark Esper, speaking in Brussels deploy to the oil on Friday, confirmed that “mechanized” forces would be fields in Syria. moving into the Deir al-Zour region, but declined to detail the NATHAN FRANCO/U.S. Army composition of the units. “We are reinforcing that position, it will include some mechanized forces,” Esper said. Esper also urged Ankara to investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Turkish-supported militias, which have carried out attacks against the Kurds during Turkey’s incursion into Syria against Kurdish forces. SEE TANKS ON PAGE 4 Deaths reported across Iraq as police fire shots, tear gas into protesting crowds BY QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA The confrontations began early in the After a week of violence in the capital leaderless and spontaneous against a sec- Associated Press morning after anti-government demon- and the country’s southern provinces, a tarian-based system and a corrupt political strations resumed, following a three-week government-appointed inquiry into the class that has ruled for decades and driven BAGHDAD — Iraqi police fired live hiatus. The protests began Oct. 1 over cor- protests determined that security forces the two countries to the brink of economic shots into the air as well as rubber bullets ruption, unemployment and lack of basic had used excessive force, killing 149 peo- disaster. and dozens of tear gas canisters Friday services but quickly turned deadly as se- The protests in Iraq threaten to plunge to disperse thousands of anti-government ple and wounding over 3,000. It also rec- curity forces cracked down, using live am- the country into a new cycle of instability protesters, sending young demonstrators ommended the firing of security chiefs in munition for days. that potentially could be the most danger- running for cover and enveloping a main The protests then spread to several, Baghdad and the south. Eight members of ous this conflict-scarred nation has faced, bridge in the capital Baghdad with thick mainly Shiite-populated southern provinc- the security forces were also killed. barely two years after declaring victory white smoke. Twenty-three protesters es and authorities imposed a curfew and The protests are similar to those that over Islamic State. were killed and dozens were injured, secu- shut down the internet for days in an effort have engulfed Lebanon in recent days in rity officials said. to quell the unrest. that they are economically driven, largely SEE PROTESTERS ON PAGE 2 PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Saturday, October 26, 2019 MIDEAST Protesters: Thousands in Baghdad call for change, reform 2 bombs in FROM FRONT PAGE Afghanistan “They (leaders) have eaten away at the country like cancer,” kill at least 7 said Abu Ali al-Majidi, 55, point- ing in the direction of the Green Associated Press Zone. “They are all corrupt KABUL, Afghanistan — A thieves,” he added, surrounded Taliban suicide attack on Friday by his four sons who had come targeted a convoy carrying offi- along for the protest. cials from Afghanistan’s intelli- Subsequently, Iraqi security gence service, killing five people forces and government officials including a child in eastern Nan- vowed to avoid further deadly garhar province, the provincial violence and deployed heavily on governor’s spokesman said. the streets of Baghdad in antici- The Taliban claimed respon- pation of Friday’s protests. sibility for the explosion in the Thousands of people began center of the provincial capital converging to Baghdad’s central Jalalabad. The powerful blast Tahrir Square early Friday, car- wounded 21 people, including six rying Iraqi flags and posters call- security personnel, said Attaul- ing for change and reform. lah Khogyani. However, after thousands of Hours later, a second explo- protesters removed metal se- curity barriers and crossed the sion targeted a checkpoint at the Jumhuriyya Bridge leading congested entrance to Jalalabad to Baghdad’s heavily fortified killing two security personnel. Six people were wounded, said Green Zone, home to the U.S. HADI MIZBAN/AP Embassy and Iraqi government Khogyani. The explosion hap- offices, soldiers fired tear gas to An injured protestor is rushed to a hospital during a demonstration in central Baghdad on Friday. pened near a bus stand crowded disperse them. After they tried with people heading to the capital to remove concrete barriers near The officials spoke on condi- program. on social media, started from the of Kabul. the entrance of the Green Zone, tion of anonymity in line with However, powerful Iran- central Tahrir Square. The dem- The attacks are the latest in they fired live rounds to push the regulations. backed Shiite militias have stood onstrators, mostly young, unem- near daily attacks carried out by protesters back. Hundreds of people were taken by the government and suggested ployed men, carried Iraqi flags insurgents. “Baghdad hurra hurra, fasad to hospitals, many with shortness the demonstrations were a “con- and chanted anti-government Nangarhar has become in- barra barra!” the demonstrators of breath from the tear gas. spiracy” from the outside. protests, demanding jobs, water creasingly violent in recent years chanted, Arabic for “Baghdad is Protests spread to the southern Iraq’s most senior Shiite spiri- and electricity. as both the Taliban and Islamic free, corruption is out.” provinces later Friday, including tual leader, Grand Ayatollah “I want my country back, I State are active there. Riot police in full gear and the flashpoint city of Basra where Ali al-Sistani, appealed on the want Iraq back,” said Ban Sou- Last week, more than 60 people armed soldiers lined the bridge. some 4,000 people gathered protesters and security forces maydai, 50, an employee at the were killed in a brutal attack on a Ambulances and tuk-tuks zipped near the provincial government to avoid violence and urged the Iraqi Education Ministry, who mosque in the province, and more back and forth, ferrying the in- building. demonstrators to abstain from at- wore black jeans, a white T-shirt than 100 were wounded. No one jured to hospitals. A reporter for The current round of protests tacking security forces or public and carried an Iraqi flag with claimed responsibility for that at- Iraq’s Sumariyya TV channel has been endorsed by Iraq’s na- property. In his Friday prayers the hashtag #We want a country, tack, and the Taliban condemned was among the injured. tionalist Shiite cleric, Muqtada sermon, he also criticized the printed on it. it, denying involvement. Security and hospital officials al-Sadr, who has a popular Shi- government-appointed commit- Prime Minister Adel Abdul- The United Nations has con- said the dead included eight pro- ite support base and the largest tee investigating the crackdown Mahdi has struggled to deal with demned the growing number of testers who were killed in Bagh- number of seats in parliament. in the previous protests, saying it the protests. civilian casualties, with more dad. The remaining deaths were He has called on the government did not achieve its goals or uncov- He gave an address to the nation than 8,000 killed and wounded so distributed across the provinces to resign and suspended his bloc’s er who was behind the violence. in the early hours Friday, promis- far this year. The U.N. called on of Basra, Nasiriyah, Misan and participation in the government As in the protests earlier this ing a government reshuffle next all sides in the conflict to protect Muthanna in southern Iraq. until it comes up with a reform month, the protesters, organized week and pledging reforms. civilians. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 14 Business .......................... 13 Comics/Crossword ............ 22 Health & Fitness ...............19 Movies ........................ 16-17 Opinion ............................ 20 Sports .........................24-32 Video Games .....................15 Weather ........................... 13 Saturday, October 26, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY AAFES lifts uniform purchase restrictions BY SETH ROBSON est brick-and-mortar military clothing stores — the only source uled to be issued two sets of sage Wednesday. AND JAMES BOLINGER clothing store, AAFES spokes- for government-certified, authen- OCPs starting around December That way, service members can Stars and Stripes man Chris Ward said in an email tic uniforms — are owned by the or January and four sets by the have their new uniforms deliv- Friday. various service branches and mandatory wear date in April ered to their homes or pick them Soldiers and airmen in the Re- However, after review and subject to separate wear and pur- 2021, Senior Master Sgt. Stephen up at their drill locations, he said. serve and National Guard are discussions with the Army and chase restrictions, he added. Schester, an Air Force Reserve The Navy Exchange carries now authorized to buy uniforms Air Force, AAFES has lifted on- “Each branch of service pro- Command spokesman, said in an the camouflage uniforms for online regardless of their ac- line purchase restrictions for all vides funding to establish and email Friday.