Iraq’s main port reopens; 4 more protesters killed in Baghdad

Iraq’s main port reopens after being blocked by protesters for five days, while in Baghdad, four protesters are shot dead while trying to remove security barriers in a major central street, security and medical officials say.

At least 24 others have been wounded as security forces fired live rounds and tear gas to disperse the protesters, security and medical officials say. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

In Baghdad, security forces open fire on protesters marching in downtown’s Rashid street, where the central bank is located, as they tried to remove barriers near two bridges that lead to the west bank of the Tigris river. Demonstrators have been trying to reach the Green Zone on the other side, which houses government offices and foreign embassies.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in recent weeks in the capital and across the Shiite south to demand sweeping political change. The protesters complain of widespread corruption, a lack of job opportunities and poor basic services, including regular power cuts despite Iraq’s vast oil reserves. More than 250 people have been killed since October 1.

— AP