Protests Enter Second Week; 14 Killed, 366 Wounded in Iraq

The job and services protest entered its second week on Sunday. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi threatened to have saboteurs among the demonstrators shot, as he deployed more forces to the southern provinces.

Overall, at least 14 people were killed and 366 were injured across Iraq:

Security forces clashed with protesters attempting to storm a courthouse in Samawa, where they killed three. At least 165 were injured, 90 of them security personnel.

In Basra, a clash erupted between security forces and civilians who were trying to enter a government building while demonstrating at a nearby oil field. Four deaths was reported. The fighting also wounded 48 civilians and 28 security members.

Fifteen demonstrators and 25 policemen were injured in clashes in Nasariya. Another 35 people were wounded there or elsewhere in Dhi Qar province.

A clash in a town near Amara left 13 protesters and seven policemen with injuries.

Thirty people were wounded in Karbala.

Flights to Najaf are limited after the airport was compromised on Saturday. Flydubai halted its flights, while planes originating in Iran will now fly to Baghdad instead. Oman Air and Royal Jordanian also canceled flights. Schedules involving flights from the UAE and Kuwait were altered as well.

A governor’s headquarters and a Badr Organization office were set on fire in Muthanna.

Other conflicts:

A blast in Taji left one dead and one wounded.

Turkish airstrikes left six militants dead in Gara and Zab.

Author: Margaret Griffis

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