Death toll mounts in Iraq protests

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP

The death toll from four days of anti-government protests in Iraq has soared to more than 90, with an estimated 1,600 more wounded.

That's according to the Iraqi Human Rights Commission, which did not specify how many were civilians or security forces. 

Officials say the death toll is set to rise, as clashes between protestors and the police continued to intensify.

According to reports, police shot dead three people trying to storm the provincial government headquarters in the southern city of Diwaniya.

One of Iraq's influential cleric Muqtada Al Sadr has called on the government to step down and hold new elections.

His statement mounted pressure on Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi who is struggling to quell the unrest.

More from International

  • Grand jury indicts 18 in Arizona fake elector scheme

    A grand jury has charged 18 people with allegedly participating in an Arizona fake elector scheme to re-elect then-US President Donald Trump in 2020, the state's attorney general said on Wednesday.

  • India inspects spice makers over alleged contamination

    India is inspecting facilities of spice makers MDH and Everest for compliance with quality standards after sales of some of their products were halted in Hong Kong and Singapore for allegedly containing high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide.

  • Israeli media predict offensive in Gaza's Rafah soon

    Israel is poised to send troops into Rafah, the Gazan city it sees as the last bastion of Hamas, Israeli media reported on Wednesday, saying preparations were under way to evacuate war-displaced Palestinian civilians who have been sheltering there.

  • Russia detains ally of Defence Minister Shoigu for corruption

    A Russian court on Wednesday ordered one of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's deputies be kept in custody on suspicion of taking bribes, the highest-profile corruption case since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022.

  • Trump meets with Japan's former prime minister Aso

    Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, a senior figure in the country's ruling party, met with Donald Trump on Tuesday, becoming the latest US ally seeking to establish ties with the Republican presidential candidate.

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • Entertainment Extra

    1:00pm - 2:00pm

  • Afternoons with Helen Farmer

    2:00pm - 5:00pm

    Every weekday afternoon, Helen Farmer will help you to navigate the highs and lows of life in the UAE. Stay up to date with what’s happening and where to go.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Flying Taxis

    It sounds like an episode of The Jetsons, but the sight of flying taxis whizzing around our cities could be much closer than you think.

  • Tough penalties for deliberate tax evasion

    The UAE has said that tougher penalties will come into force from 1st August for not keeping proper corporate tax records.