At least five protesters and two policemen have been killed in the Iraqi capital during a rally by thousands calling for an overhaul of the electoral system, according to police.

Iraqi security forces fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at thousands of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia leader, who were demonstrating on Saturday near Baghdad's Green Zone to press for electoral changes.

At least 320 protesters and seven police officers were wounded as violence gripped the rally.

The Associated Press news agency, quoting hospital officials, said the officer died of a bullet wound.

"There were seven dead as a result of the violence. Two of them are from the security forces and the other five are protesters," a police colonel told AFP news agency on condition of anonymity.

He put the number of people hurt in the chaos at more than 200.

Sadr's demands

Sadr has accused the elections commission of being corrupt and called for the commission's members to be changed, according to a statement from his office.

Rising to his call to protest, demonstrators gathered near the Green Zone - a cluster of embassies and government buildings - to demand an overhaul of the commission that supervises elections before a provincial vote due in September.

Riot police fired tear gas when the crowd tried to move towards the zone, which also houses international organisations and the homes of prominent politicians.

Shots rang out in central Baghdad, as security forces used live fire and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

"We will not give in to threats," said Serbat Mustafa, the head of the electoral commission, in an interview with a local Iraqi television channel on Saturday afternoon.

Mustafa said he would not offer his resignation and accused Sadr of using the commission as a political "scapegoat".

Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's prime minister, called on the demonstrators to remain peaceful and to "abide by the law".

The Najaf-based Sadr, however, gave a green light to an escalation of the protests, telling his supporters: "If you want to approach the gates of the Green Zone to affirm your demands and make them heard to those on the other side of the fence ... you can."

Sadr has been a fierce critic of Abadi, and, last year, protests that included many of his followers breached the Green Zone twice.

Eventually, he called for restraint on Saturday but warned Abadi not to turn a deaf ear.

"I urge him to deliver those reforms immediately, listen to the voice of the people and remove the corrupt," he said in a statement.

Rockets hit Green Zone

Late on Saturday, the body coordinating security operations in Iraq said several Katyusha-type rockets were fired at the Green Zone from within Baghdad.

"Several Katyusha rockets fired from the Baladiyat and Palestine Street areas landed in the Green Zone," the Joint Operations Command said in a statement, without specifying who fired them.

Police and interior ministry officials confirmed to AFP that several rockets were fired at the area, but could not specify what the presumed target was nor whether there were any victims.

"Several rockets, maybe six or seven, struck the Green Zone. I can hear the siren is being sounded in the area," Maysoon Damaluji, a legislator who lives in the protected area, told AFP.

A diplomat who also lives in the Green Zone said he heard four blasts.</s>Demonstration by Muqtada al-Sadr loyalists demanding overhaul of electoral system leaves protesters and policeman dead.

At least four protesters and one policeman have been killed in the Iraqi capital during a rally by thousands calling for an overhaul of the electoral system, according to Baghdad's governor.

Iraqi security forces fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at thousands of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia leader, who were demonstrating on Saturday near Baghdad's Green Zone to press for electoral changes.

At least 320 protesters and seven police officers were wounded as violence gripped the rally.

The Associated Press news agency, quoting hospital officials, said the officer died of a bullet wound.

Sadr has accused the elections commission of being corrupt and called for the commission's members to be changed, according to a statement from his office.

Rising to his call to protest, demonstrators had gathered near the Green Zone - a cluster of embassies and government buildings - to demand an overhaul of the commission that supervises elections before a provincial vote due in September.

Riot police fired tear gas when the crowd tried to move towards the zone, which also houses international organisations and the homes of prominent politicians.

Shots rang out in central Baghdad as security forces used live fire and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

"We will not give in to threats," said Serbat Mustafa, the head of the electoral commission, in an interview with a local Iraqi television channel on Saturday afternoon.

Mustafa said he would not offer his resignation and accused Sadr of using the commission as a political "scapegoat."

An Associated Press news agency team at the scene of Saturday's rally saw ambulances carrying away protesters suffering from breathing difficulties.

The protest organisers said about two dozen demonstrators choked on the tear gas.

Live TV footage showed young men running away as white smoke filled Tahrir Square in Baghdad's business district.

Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's prime minister, called on the demonstrators to remain peaceful and to "abide by the law".

Sadr has been a fierce critic of Abadi, and last year protests that included many of his followers breached the highly fortified Green Zone twice.

Sadr suspects that members of the electoral commission are loyal to his Shia rival, Nouri al-Maliki, former prime minister and one of the closest allies of Iran in Iraq.</s>The Iraqi Interior Ministry says a policeman was killed and seven other wounded during clashes in Baghdad with protesters loyal to the prominent Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

 

 But supporters of Sadr gave a higher casualty toll from the February 11 clashes, saying at least five people were killed and as many as 320 wounded.

 

 Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered an investigation into those claims.

 

 Thousands of Sadr’s supporters gathered in Baghdad’s central Tahrir Square on February 11 to demand changes to an electoral supervisory commission ahead of a provincial election in September.

 

 Correspondents say the clashes broke out when police tried to disperse protesters who tried to cross a bridge that links Tahrir Square with Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, a part of the city that houses government buildings, embassies, and international organizations.

 

 During the evening on February 11, Iraqi military officials said several Katyusha rockets were fired into the Green Zone from Baladiyat, a district of Baghdad with many Sadr supporters. There were no reports of casualties in those incidents.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP</s>Iraqi security forces have fired tear gas on thousands of protesters gathered in the capital.

The demonstrators were called to Baghdad by influential Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to demand electoral reform before elections later this year.

Sadr has been a strong critic of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Officials say the protesters attempted to breach Baghdad's Green Zone, home to most of Baghdad's foreign embassies and the seat of Iraq's government.</s>Supporters of powerful leader Muqtada al-Sadr are demanding that the electoral commission be reformed.

Iraqi security forces fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at thousands of supporters of an influential Shia leader demonstrating near Baghdad's Green Zone to press for electoral reform.

One police officer was killed during Saturday's protests, according to police and hospital officials who said seven other policemen were injured along with dozens of protesters.

The Associated Press news agency quoted hospital officials as saying that the officer died of a bullet wound.

Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia leader, accused the elections commission of being corrupt and called for the commission's members to be changed, according to a statement from his office.

Rising to his call to protest, demonstrators had gathered near the Green Zone - a cluster of embassies and government buildings - to demand an overhaul of the commission that supervises elections before a provincial vote due in September.

Riot police fired tear gas when the crowd tried to move towards the zone, which also houses international organisations and the homes of prominent politicians.

Shots rang out in central Baghdad as security forces used live fire and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

"We will not give in to threats," said the head of the electoral commission, Serbat Mustafa, in an interview with a local Iraqi television channel Saturday afternoon.

Mustafa said he would not offer his resignation and accused Sadr of using the commission as a political "scapegoat."

Sadr has been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and last year protests that included many of his followers breached the highly fortified Green Zone twice.

An Associated Press news agency team at the scene witnessed ambulances rushing away protesters suffering from breathing difficulties.

The protest organisers said about two dozen demonstrators had choked on the gas.

Live TV footage showed young men running away as white smoke filled Tahrir Square in downtown Baghdad.

Sadr's supporters stormed the Green Zone last year after violent clashes with security forces.

Sadr suspects that members of the electoral commission are loyal to his Shia rival, Nouri al-Maliki, former prime minister, one of the closest allies of Iran in Iraq.

Prime Minister Abadi called on the demonstrators to remain peaceful and to "abide by the law".</s>Iraqi security forces have attacked supporters of influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who were holding a protest in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Police on Saturday fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, who approached Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies, reported the website of Arabic-language al-Sumaria TV network.

The protest started peacefully with several speakers addressing the large crowd at Tahrir Square but it turned violent after some of the demonstrators attempted to break through a security cordon guarding the main road to the Green Zone.

"The demonstrators tried to cross Jumhuriya Bridge, the security forces fired tear gas to stop them but they insisted," a senior police official said.

Another police official said at least 11 protesters were wounded by rubber-coated bullets or tear gas canisters, but added that the injuries were not serious.

Meanwhile, an Interior Ministry spokesman said that a police officer was killed in the clashes.

Sadr has urged the demonstrators to hold a sit-in in the zone while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called on the protesters to remain peaceful and to "abide by the law."

Sadr’s supporters were demonstrating to urge the government to amend the country’s electoral law. They argue that the country’s current electoral rules are tailored in favor of Iraq’s major parties, which they say are involved in nepotism and corruption.

Last year, hundreds of anti-government protesters broke into the Green Zone and scaled down the walls of parliament after lawmakers failed to approve a new government.</s>A police officer was killed and seven others wounded during clashes between supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr and security forces, Baghdad's security operations command said Saturday.

The cleric has called for the reform of Iraq's election commission, and demonstrators had gathered in support of him.

Video of the rally shows police firing tear gas at the protesters.

Later Saturday, rockets fired from eastern Baghdad landed inside the Green Zone, Iraq's Joint Operations Command Center said, but it's unclear if that incident was related to the protests. There were no reports of casualties in the rocket firing. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered an investigation into the clashes.</s>Protests by supporters of a powerful Iraqi Shiite cleric turned deadly Saturday in Baghdad.

A police officer was killed and seven others wounded during clashes between supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr and security forces, Baghdad’s security operations command said Saturday.

The cleric has called for the reform of Iraq’s election commission, and demonstrators had gathered in support of him.

Video of the rally shows police firing tear gas at the protesters.

The rally reached outside the fortified Green Zone, an area housing government buildings and foreign embassies.

Later Saturday, rockets fired from eastern Baghdad landed inside the Green Zone, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command Center said, but it’s unclear if that incident was related to the protests. There were no reports of casualties in the rocket firing.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered an investigation into the clashes.</s>BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi police are firing tear gas at anti-government protesters in the capital, Baghdad.

The protests Saturday were called by influential Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who is demanding that local elections be held on schedule this year. Some Iraqi politicians have called for a delay due to the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group.

Al-Sadr has been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and last year protests that included many of his followers breached the highly fortified Green Zone twice.

Al-Abadi has called for protesters to remain peaceful so that the country’s security forces can focus on the IS fight, according to a statement released from his office.

The Green Zone is home to most of Iraq’s foreign embassies and the seats of Iraq’s government.</s>An Iraqi policeman was killed and seven others wounded in clashes with protesters loyal to prominent Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who had gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to demand political reforms, the interior ministry said. Thousands had gathered in the square to demand an overhaul of the commission that supervises elections ahead of a provincial … Continue reading Iraqi Policeman Killed In Clashes With Pro-Sadr Protesters

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Violence erupts at a protest rally in Baghdad, Iraq, killing at least four protesters and one police officer. Thousands of supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr gathered in the capital to demand an overhaul of the country's electoral system.