Protestors in Iraq’s Basra city on Friday set the Iranian consulate on fire, AFP reported. Thousands of demonstrators rallied outside the building before setting it ablaze, said the news agency’s photographer who was an eyewitness to the incident.
At least 10 protestors have died in demonstrations against poor public services in the city since September 3, Daily Sabah reported. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s national security council met on Friday, and said it had begun an investigation into the casualties at the demonstrations.
Abadi’s government promised to release funds previously allocated for Basra’s public services. The prime minister has called an emergency Parliament session on Saturday.
Protestors allege that the infrastructure in Basra has collapsed and no electricity or safe drinking water is available, even as the summer heat rages on.
The provincial government’s headquarters had been set on fire on Thursday night. On Friday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the city to mourn the death of a protestor in the blaze. They also torched the offices of a Shia armed group, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and those of the Hikma Movement, Al Jazeera reported.
Umm Qasr, Iraq’s only big seaport, was also shut down by demonstrators on Thursday. It remained closed on Friday as well.
Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani blamed politicians for the protests, and said a “new government” should be formed which is “different from its predecessors”. The government of Haider al-Abadi has come to power following elections in May.
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