(29 Oct 2019) Masked gunmen opened fire at Iraqi protesters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala on Tuesday, killing 18 people and wounding hundreds, security officials said.
It was one of the deadliest single attacks on protesters since anti-government demonstrations erupted earlier this month.
The attack, which happened overnight, came as Iraqis took to the streets for a fifth consecutive day, protesting their government's corruption, lack of services and other grievances.
The bloodshed in Karbala, a major pilgrimage site where a revered Shiite figure was killed in a 7th century battle, could mark a turning point in the demonstrations.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, and protesters said they did not know whether the masked men were riot police, special forces or Iran-linked militias.
The protesters said Iraqi soldiers had been stationed around the protest site but withdrew after the attackers began firing tear gas and live fire.
The provincial governor, Nassif al-Khutabi, denied that any protesters were killed but said there were some injuries among security forces.
He said videos that had spread online were fabricated and not from Karbala.
The protests across Iraq, leaderless and largely spontaneous, have been met with bullets and tear gas by security forces from the first day.
At least 73 protesters - not including the latest fatalities in Karbala - have been killed since anti-government demonstrations resumed on Friday, after 149 were killed during an earlier wave of protests this month.
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