3 killed during protests in Iraq
Security forces killed at least two people when they opened fire on protesters in southern Iraq yesterday night as thousands continued to take part in the largest wave of anti-government protests for decades, reported on Reuters.
Hospital sources said the protesters died from bullet wounds to the head.
The protesters had tried to attack the house of a senior government official, security sources said.
In another incident, at least one protester was killed and 34 others wounded when security forces opened fire on protesters camped out at the entrance to the main Gulf port of Umm Qasr.
The sit-in has halted operations at the port near the oil city of Basra since last Wednesday.
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Basra security officials imposed a curfew around 10 pm on Monday night, in an initial attempt to disperse the crowd, saying they would use force to disperse them if necessary.
More than 250 Iraqis have been killed in demonstrations since the start of October against a government they see as corrupt and beholden to foreign interests.
UN Iraq envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert denounced the violence in a tweet on Monday night.