BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces sprayed tear gas and fired into the air on Wednesday to try to disperse thousands of protesters in the southern city of Basra, in some of the worst unrest in the region for months. People gather during a protest near the main provincial government building because of the water pollution and poor services in Basra, Iraq

Security forces responds to demonstrators in Basra because of lack of public services

Seven protesters are dead and more than 30 wounded during a rally after security forces opened fire in Iraq’s southern Basra province Tuesday. Protests have swept cities in the long neglected south, Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim heartland, over electricity outages during the hot Iraqi summer, a lack of jobs and proper government services, and entrenched graft. Twenty-two members of the security forces were also wounded, some by a hand grenade, the sources said, in some of the worst unrest reported during months of protests sweeping the long neglected south, heartland of Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim majority. Basra residents say salt seeping into the water supply has made it undrinkable and sent hundreds to hospital, proof that infrastructure has been allowed to collapse in the part of the country that produces most of its oil wealth.
Seven people are killed and more than 30 are injured during a rally in Basra, Iraq after security forces opened fire.