Iraq: No deaths during Karbala protests: Governor.

Iraqi officials have dismissed reports of fatalities during Monday’s anti-government protests in the holy city of Karbala, saying certain media outlets have been fabricating news.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Karbala Governor Nassif al-Khattabi said viral footage of security forces shooting at protesters were fake and meant to “incite the street” in the city.

He said that a curfew had been enforced in the city upon a request by protesters in a bid to protect their lives.

No one had been killed, but some had been injured, most of the security forces, Khattabi added.

Additionally, Karabala’s police chief confirmed that no protester had been killed, noting that there was only a premeditated murder case some 2 kilometers away from the protest zone.

He said some elements had infiltrated into the protests to disrupt peace and incite violence.

Earlier on Tuesday, Reuters quoted medical and security sources as saying that Iraqi security forces had killed at least 14 people and wounded 865 in Karbala.

At the start of October, street protests erupted in several Iraqi cities over unemployment and poor public services. The demonstrations resumed on Friday after a pause of about two weeks.

The first round of the protests leftover 150 people dead in Iraq, according to the Interior Ministry.

The demonstrators want the government to take meaningful action aimed at ending the country’s economic woes and fighting corruption in state institutions.

As part of efforts to satisfy the protesters’ demands, Iraq’s parliament voted Monday to dissolve provincial councils, cancel extra privileges for top officials and summon Prime Minister Abdil Abdul-Mahdi for questioning.

The premier has proposed reforms, including hiring drives and increased pensions, in the aftermath of the protests.