Chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans, thousands of demonstrators returned to the streets in central Basra in ongoing film protests. The group marched for more than an hour today, while police and soldiers looked on. They also carried portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is neighboring Iran’s supreme leader, giving credence to the belief that Iranian-backed groups were behind the march. A French publication’s satirical depiction of the prophet Muhammad was also excoriated. The demonstration follows others both in Basra and elsewhere in Iraq. On Wednesday, hundreds protested in Karbala.
Meanwhile, at least 13 Iraqis were killed and nine more were wounded in attacks.
In Baghdad, a blast killed two soldiers and wounded two others in Meshahda. Gunmen killed a Sunni cleric and a policeman in separate attacks in Washash and Doura.
A suicide bomber struck at a market in Jalawla, killing two people and wounding four others.
In Mosul, a civilian was gunned down. Gunmen also killed an imam.
At least one policeman was killed and as many as two more were wounded in a shooting in Ramadi.
A sticky bomb blast in Falluja left one dead and one wounded.
Gunmen killed a Turkmen doctor in Kirkuk.
The death of a detainee being interrogated at a Hilla prison is under investigation.
A bomb targeting an officer in Shirqat failed to cause any casualties.
