Protests in southern provinces escalate as demonstrators storm, set fire to offices

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Iraqi protests in the southern provinces escalated on Sunday as security forces fired tear gas into crowds after demonstrators stormed government offices over the lack of public services.

Protesters stormed the Basra Provincial Council and police station as demonstrations against the lack of government-supplied public services and unemployment enter their second week.

Protests started up once more on Sunday in the oil-rich province of Basra, in Babylon and in Dhi Qar, according to security sources. The headquarters of the Wisdom (Hikma), Badr and Fadhila parties, as well as the Nasiriyah prison holding political dissidents, were also targeted by protesters.

Additional Iraqi forces were transferred from Baghdad, Diyala, and Salahuddin to Basra as demonstrations escalate. A protester was reportedly killed, along with dozens more wounded and incapacitated as troops attempt to disperse the crowds, according to Kurdistan 24 Correspondent in Basra, Shivan Jabbary.

The growing unrest prompted the Iraqi Interior Ministry to fire the Najaf Police Chief and replace him with Major General Alaa Gharib in attempts to bring the protests under control. 

Frustrated Iraqis took to the streets across southern Iraq, notably in Basra, last week to express their discontent over the lack of public services in the country.

The demonstrations have now entered their second week. Baghdad shut down government offices in Basra for the day as protests erupted anew in the oil-rich province, a security source told Kurdistan 24.

Security forces also shut down most main roads in the area to bring the unrest under control and imposed tighter security measures at local oil fields and the Basra Airport, eyewitnesses told Kurdistan 24.

Royal Jordanian Airlines, the first one to do so, suspended its flights to Najaf over security concerns. 

Editing by Nadia Riva