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Iraq Protests Leave 16 Dead and Hundreds Wounded, Official Says

At Least 16 Killed in 3 Days of Iraq Protests, Official Says

(Bloomberg) -- Clashes between Iraqi security forces and protesters have killed at least 16 people and wounded 919 over three days, an official with Iraq’s Human Rights Commission said Thursday.

Some of the protesters died after being hit by live ammunition, Ali Al Bayati said in an interview. One member of the security forces was killed and 185 injured.

Iraqi forces have fought with protesters who took to the streets in Baghdad and elsewhere this week to protest against unemployment, government corruption and a lack of basic services -- grievances that have led to repeated bouts of unrest in OPEC’s second-largest oil producer.

State-run Iraqiya reported late on Wednesday that protesters set fire to the government headquarters of Najaf province in southwestern Iraq, and stormed official buildings elsewhere in the country as well as some belonging to political parties. Access to social media was cut off in many areas as the demonstrations raged.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi vowed earlier this week to create jobs for university graduates and said all contracts with foreign companies would stipulate that 50% of the positions should go to Iraqis, according to CNN.

To contact the reporter on this story: Khalid Al-Ansary in Baghdad at kalansary@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alaa Shahine at asalha@bloomberg.net, Mark Williams, Michael Gunn

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