Toll rises to six in clashes among rival Iraq protesters - France 24

The toll from clashes among rival protesters in Iraq's southern hot spot of Nasiriyah rose to six dead, medics told AFP Saturday, as other cities imposed security measures.

Violence erupted on Friday between the dwindling members of the October 2019 anti-government protest movement and supporters of populist Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, who had called on his followers to hit the streets in a show of force.

In the southern city of Nasiriyah, anti-government activists accused Sadrists of shooting at them and torching their tents in their main gathering place of Habboubi Square.

Clashes continued into the night, with medics reporting a total of six dead by Saturday morning, five of them from bullet wounds, and at least 60 wounded.

But on Saturday morning, anti-government protesters were already back in the square to rebuild their camp, an AFP reporter there said.

Authorities sacked the city's police chief, launched an investigation into the events and imposed an overnight curfew in Nasiriyah....

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