100 Iraqis killed since Friday amid protests

BAGHDAD

At least 100 people have been killed in Iraq since Friday, as security forces have been trying to disperse protesters, said Iraq's Independent High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR) on Wednesday.

At least 5,500 people were also injured, the rights body said.

In a related development, one protester was killed amid protests in central Baghdad, an Iraqi medical source said on Wednesday.

The incident took place while "protesters were trying to cross the Sinak Bridge towards the Green Zone," said the source on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

Around 70 others were also affected by tear gas shelling by the Iraqi forces, the source added.

Anger has been building in Iraq in recent years due to rising unemployment and rampant corruption. Many people in the country have limited access to basic services such as electricity and clean water.

According to World Bank figures, Iraq's youth unemployment is around 25%. It is also ranked the 12th most-corrupt country in the world by several transparency organizations.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat