Oil Field Protests Escalate; 13 Killed in Iraq

Protests continued for a fifth day at the West Qurna oilfields near Basra, where as many as 14 people were wounded, including two policemen, at multiple locations. Demonstrators had been demanding jobs and better services at first, but the protests escalated, and at least one person was killed on Monday. Now they are also demanding that the police chief be fired, and the person who killed the demonstrator to come forward.

The protests have not greatly impacted oil production at this or nearby oil fields, but demonstrators blocked a road leading to the Shalamja border crossing with Iran. Passage to the airport was also obstructed. Employees from Lukoil, ExxonMobil, and PetroChina were evacuated briefly, and two Lukoil buildings were set on fire.

At least 13 people were killed and 20 more were wounded:

In Baghdad, a bomb wounded three people.

Seven militants were killed in airstrikes in Daquq.

An airstrike killed four militants near Wadi al-Thalab.

Two militants were killed in Metabijh.

Author: Margaret Griffis

Margaret Griffis is a journalist from Miami Beach, Florida and has been covering Iraqi casualties for Antiwar.com since 2006.