Iraqi police disperse fresh protests in Basra over employment, services

Basra (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi police dispersed on Tuesday fresh protests in the southern Basra province as demonstrations seem to make a comeback decrying poor services.

Alsumaria News said police shot some tear gas bombs to disperse demonstrators who lit fire in car tyres at al-Jebeila street at the center of the province after staging a protest outside the governor’s office demanding jobs and enhanced services.

Basra had witnessed violent protests since early September over multiple social grievances, most notably water shortages and contamination. Some Iraqis officials had said Iran  pumped contaminated water left over from its farmlands towards Iraqi territories, which prompted some Iraqi protesters to set the Iranian consulate in Basra on fire.