Gunmen opened fire on protesters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala on Tuesday, killing 18 people and wounding hundreds, The Associated Press reported, citing Iraqi security officials.
The attack by masked shooters came during a fifth consecutive day of demonstrations protesting corruption, a lack of jobs and other matters, according to the AP. The news outlet reported that 240 people have been killed since the protests began earlier this month.{mosads}
Tuesday’s shooting occurred in the city’s Education Square, where protesters had gathered for a sit-in. It’s unclear who was responsible for the deadly attack.
A senior security official told the AP that 25,000 protesters had demonstrated in Karbala, one of holiest places for Shiite Muslims, on Monday.