Five wounded in protests in Kirkuk

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – At least five people have been wounded in clashes between protestors and anti-riot police in Kirkuk province, as graduates demand employment at the city’s oil company.

Hundreds of graduates who received training from Kirkuk’s North Oil Company demanded employment opportunities at the oil installation early Monday in front of the state-run enterprise’s headquarters.

To disperse the protestors, the local police used tear gas, which resulted in injuring five protesters, including a number of female graduates, according to a Kurdistan 24 correspondent in Kirkuk.

Those who demanded career opportunities at the company said that they were promised jobs after receiving training. Local officials, however, said the process requires “patience”.

Unemployment is one of the major issues that successive Iraqi governments have been facing, causing widespread demonstrations across the country.

in 2019, at least 600 hundred protestors were killed by militia and security forces in Baghdad and other southern provinces. Among others, the demonstrators demanded employment opportunities.