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Anti-government protesters set fire and close streets while security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas in Iraq on Monday.[/caption]
Baghdad, Nov. 5 (IANS): Two protesters were killed and 23 others injured during clashes on Monday night in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
The Iraqi security forces used tear gas, rubber and live bullets to disperse protesters, and 283 protesters were also arrested, according to a commission statement.
The commission condemned the use of live ammunition and demanded to hand the case to a special investigation committee, urging all sides to stick to the peaceful demonstration standards, Xinhua news agency reported.
On Tuesday, protesters blocked the roads and burned tires in many areas in the capital Baghdad, a police officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
He noted that the three major bridges leading to the fortified Green Zone which houses government headquarters and foreign embassies are still closed, saying riot police managed to prevent the protesters from crossing these bridges.
Since October 25, demonstrations have been going on in Baghdad and other cities in central and southern Iraq, demanding comprehensive reform, accountability for corruption, improvement of public services and job opportunities.
Early in October, mass protests erupted across Iraq for similar reasons.