Iraqis massacred
18 slain, hundreds hurt at anti-gov’t protest Lebanon’s P.M. quits amid unrest
tioned around the protest site but withdrew after the attackers Masked gunmen opened fire at began firing tear gas and Iraqi protesters in the Shiite live ammunition. holy city of Karbala on Tuesday, Provincial Gov. Nassif alKhutabi killing 18 people and denied that any protesters wounding hundreds, security were killed but said officials said, in one of the there were some injuries deadliest single attacks since among security forces. anti-government demonstrations The anti-government protests erupted this month. in Karbala, Baghdad and
The overnight attack came cities across southern Iraq as Iraqis took to the streets for a have often turned violent, with fifth straight day after a hiatus security forces opening fire in the demonstrations to protest and protesters torching government government corruption, a buildings and headquarters lack of jobs and municipal of Iran-backed militias. services, and other grievances. pilgrimage site where a reveredtogether what exactly prompted
The earlier protests also saw Shiite figure was killed in a 7th- the attack. Eyewitnesses told The The demonstrations have violence against protesters, and Century battle. Associated Press that masked occurred in Shiite-majority a total of 240 people have been There were differing accounts gunmen opened fire on the camp. areas and have been directed at killed since the unrest began. and death tolls from Karbala, and Protesters said they did not the Shiite-dominated government
But the bloodshed in Kar- details were still emerging fromknow if the masked men were and Shiite political bala could mark a turning the scene. riot police, special forces or Iran- parties and militias, many of point because of the high toll Amid a clampdown by securi- linked militias. The protesters which are supported by neighboring and because the city is a major ty forces, it was difficult to piecesaid Iraqi soldiers had been sta- Iran.
Lebanon’s prime minister resigned Tuesday, bowing to one of the central demands of antigovernment demonstrators shortly after baton-wielding Hezbollah supporters rampaged through the main protest camp in Beirut, torching tents, smashing plastic chairs and chasing away protesters.
The demonstrators later returned to the camp in time to hear the news that Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he was stepping down after hitting a “dead end” in trying to resolve the crisis, which has paralyzed the country for nearly two weeks.
The protesters erupted in cheers at the news.
The Hezbollah rampage marked a violent turning point in Lebanon’s protests, which have called for the resignation of the government and the overthrow of the political class that has dominated the country since the 1975-1990 civil war.