People gather during a protest near the main provincial government building because of the water pollution and poor services in Basra, Iraq
Seven protesters are dead and more than 30 wounded during a rally after security forces opened fire in Iraq’s southern Basra province Tuesday.
Security forces responded to protesters who staged the demonstration due to the lack of public services, according to local sources.
Demonstrators set the governor's building on fire, the sources said.
Basra Operations Command declared a curfew after the incidents.
Roughly 80 percent of Iraq’s overall crude oil exports originate from oilfields in Basra province.
For years, residents have complained that foreign nationals, rather than locals, were being employed by the domestic energy sector.
They also complain of frequent power outages amid summer temperatures that often reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122 F).
Since July 9, the province, as well as other southern and central Shia-majority provinces, have witnessed ongoing protests which have spread to capital, Baghdad.
Demonstrators demand improved public services like water and electricity, more job opportunities and an end to government corruption.
Iraq’s newly-elected parliament on Tuesday postponed the election of a new assembly speaker to mid-September after a number of lawmakers decided to boycott the vote.Attended by only 85 of 329 MPs, Tuesday’s session had been convened to choose a new speaker -- along with two deputies -- after the initial vote was postponed a day earlier.A Monday session -- parliament’s first of the season -- saw fierce disagreements between rival coalitions (Al-Bina and Reform Construction), both of which claimed to have attained a majority bloc in the assembly.Under Iraq’s constitution, the majority bloc in parliament has the right to draw up the country’s next government.Among the most prominent nominees for the post of speaker is Osama al-Nujaifi, a prominent Sunni politician.According to results of Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary poll, Muqtada al-Sadr's Sairoon Coalition won 54 seats, followed by a Hashd al-Shaabi-led coalition (47 seats) and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Victory Bloc (42 seats).Within 30 days of holding its first session, parliament will elect -- by a two-thirds majority -- the country’s next president.The president will then task the majority bloc in parliament with drawing up a new government, which must be referred back to the assembly for approval.New Iraqi parliament convenes for 1st time since pollsIsrael signals it could target Iranian military assets in IraqFormer PM al-Maliki says won’t run for Iraq premiershipIraq says its territory won’t be used to attack othersIraqi protesters rally for jobs in Basra
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