government also met with the Taliban in Moscow in February.

The United States still has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, nearly 18 years after the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban.

In 2018 a record 10,993 civilians were wounded or killed in Afghanistan, according to UN figures.

Last December there were reports US President Donald Trump was planning to halve the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan, though no such drawdown has happened yet.Security forces opened fire on demonstrators on Wednesday in central Baghdad, a day after demonstrations over unemployment, corruption and poor public services had also turned violent.

Iraqis had gathered in the Zaafaraniyah district in southeastern Baghdad to stage a peaceful protest early on Wednesday, but police opened fire.

The Iraqi army was deployed early on Wednesday to the streets of Iraq's Nasiriyah alongside security forces stationed at the city, and had fired warning shots in a bid to disperse protests, acocrding to AFP.

The Iraqi police chief called on his forces to show restraint and protect demonstrators.

A third Iraqi demonstrator died from wounds sustained when police fired tear gas and live rounds to disperse protests in Baghdad and the south, medics and security sources said Wednesday.

The 55-year-old man was wounded in