At least 40 killed as fresh protests engulf Iraq

Saturday, 26 October 2019 11:26

At least 40 people have died in Iraq and dozens injured after a fresh wave of anti-government protests turned violent.

Police fired rubber bullets and teargas canisters in an attempt to disperse the crowd gathered at the Tahrir Square in central Baghdad on Friday.

According to reports, two protesters were killed when they were hit by teargas canisters.

Reports say half of the victims were killed while trying to cross the Jumhuriyya Bridge leading to Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.

This is the second major bout of violence this month, after a series of clashes two weeks ago left 157 people dead and over 6,000 wounded.

Thousands have taken to the streets to demand more jobs, better public services and an end to corruption.

More from International News

Israeli attacks on Gaza killed 60 people in 24 hours

Israeli occupation forces committed multiple massacres against families in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, resulting in the killing of at least 60 Palestinians and the injury of 162 others, according to medical reports.
Trump fires National Security Agency director

U.S. President Donald Trump fired General Timothy Haugh as director of the National Security Agency on Thursday, according to two officials familiar with the decision, and congressional Democrats denounced the removal of the nonpartisan official from a top security post.
Israel steps up Syria strikes, says Turkey aims for 'protectorate'

Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.
US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden delayed

The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden had delayed.