Iraq protests: Death toll increases to 93, injures 4,000

Iraqi protestors in a demonstration. Pic/AFP

Baghdad: The death toll in anti-government protests across Iraq in the past five days has increased to 93, with nearly 4,000 others injured, the country's High Commission for Human Rights said on Saturday. In a statement, the Commission added that of the 555 people who have been detained, 355 of them have already been released, in line with a promise made on Thursday night by Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, Efe news reported. The protests also caused material damage to 37 buildings, the statement added.

Meanwhile, dozens of protesters took to the streets in at least two areas in the Iraqi capital asking for better services and denouncing corruption and unemployment for the fifth consecutive day, an Interior Ministry source said. The security forces were on the scene trying to disperse them. Authorities lifted a curfew that took effect after deadly clashes with security forces over the part two days in Baghdad. Traffic returned to normal on Saturday morning, except for around Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, where most of the action took place.

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