Hundreds Gather as Protests Over Public Services Continue in Basra

Protests in Basra continued on September 7, with hundreds gathering to rally against inadequate public services, unemployment and government corruption.Friday’s protest saw activists set fire to the Iranian consulate in Basra before marching to the West Qurna 2 oilfield, where protesters briefly held two employees of a water treatment facility hostage.Protests in the oil-rich southern Iraqi city have become increasingly violent, with at least 11 activists killed this week.Basra has been rocked by unrest since July when protests began amid anger over problems with the water supply, infrastructure, and the lack of economic opportunity in the oil-rich province.Despite the increasing violence, this video from inside the protests shows activists cleaning up garbage, distributing drinks and a young boy meeting a soldier. Credit: Ahmed Ali via Storyful