- Title: Death toll climbs as Iraqi protests escalate for third day
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: INJURED PROTESTER BEING CARRIED BY OTHER PROTESTERS
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 17:01
- Keywords: iraq protests protesters gunfire tear gas injured protesters police fire
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002AZJNR5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Police and gunmen exchanged fire on Thursday (October 3) as nationwide anti-government protests in Iraq escalated into one of the worst security challenges in years.
At least 20 people have been killed since the protests erupted three days ago, seemingly independent of any organised political party and taking the security forces by surprise.
Police said protesters carrying guns had fired at them in the town of Rifae on Thursday morning, near the southern city of Nassiriya where seven people died overnight. Fifty people were wounded in Rifae, including five policemen, they said, adding to hundreds already injured across the country.
Clashes in another southern city, Amara, killed four people overnight.
A curfew, lifted early in the morning in southern cities, was reimposed immediately in Nassiriya and later in Amara.
In Baghdad, the authorities attempted to head off protests by imposing a curfew from 5 a.m. Troops patrolled main roads and public spaces, but by morning sporadic demonstrations had begun, and troops opened fire with live rounds to disperse them.
The demonstrations began in Baghdad on Tuesday (October 1) and quickly grew and spread to other cities, mainly in Iraq's south. Police have fired live rounds, tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.
(Production: Haider Kadhem, Maher Nazeh, Mostafa Salem) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: WARNING: Editors please note, this clip contains graphic material
