Authorities in the province of Maysan said on Friday that one protester was killed and 15 others were injured in the provincial capital of Amarah, adding that the angry demonstrators were reportedly attempting to storm the governor’s office, Press TV reported.
Elsewhere in the province of Dhi Qar, at least 25 security forces were wounded as they tried to break up crowds of protesters in Nasiriyah, the provincial capital.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has visited the southern oil city of Basra after deadly protests there against dire economic conditions.
Earlier on Friday, security forces killed another demonstrator in the city of Basrah as Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi was on an official visit there. Basrah residents, decrying poor government services and corruption, warned of more rallies if their demands were not met.
A similar rally was also staged in the holy city of Najaf on Friday as public anger mounted over unemployment and delivery of basic services.
Another protest rally was also held in capital Baghdad on Friday against poor services, unemployment and corruption.
Meanwhile, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq’s top Shia cleric, issued a statement, expressing his solidarity with the protesters. He added that he was concerned about people’s difficult living conditions.
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