ERBIL - In hopes of meeting the protesters' demands, Iraq's Council of Ministers on Sunday issued a package of "important decisions," as over 100 people have so far been killed, and more than 4,000 others were wounded due to demonstrations since Tuesday.

The Iraqi people have started protests since Tuesday against the poor public services, unemployment, and corruption in the government.

Earlier on Saturday, Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi met with representatives of the protesters to reach an agreement between the two sides.

Iraqi media reports cited the council's statement as explaining that it would start allocating residential land to the families who have no sources of income and completing the distribution of 17,000 housing units to poor families in Basra province, which is expected to be fulfilled within four weeks.

It would also begin the implementation of a national housing program to build 100,000 housing units in different provinces based on the poorest level, providing the unemployed people with 175,000 Iraqi dinars for a period of three months until they find a job, and establishing commercial buildings, the owners of which, will be asked by the government to employ two unemployed persons, which is said to guarantee 45,000 job opportunities.

Preparing and training unemployed youths and granting loans to graduates as well as non-graduates and opening the door for youths age between 18 to 25 to serve in the ministry of defense, the statement continued.

The two ministries of interior and defense would take legal procedures to repeal their contracts in all provinces.

All the people killed during clashes between the security forces and protesters, meanwhile, will be considered as martyrs, while the ministry of health would provide medical treatment to the people wounded during the demonstrations at government’s expenses.

BasNews