Police, protesters clash in Iraqi town

Sunday 07 August 2005, 15:16 Makka Time, 12:16 GMT


About 1000 protesters have clashed with Iraqi police in the town of Samawa, south of Baghdad, leaving at least one person dead and about 60 others injured, police say.

The protest on Sunday was over the poor state of water and power supplies.

Witnesses said police opened fire on the crowd.

At least one person was killed and 46 civilians injured in the fighting, said Captain Hussein Manwar. Thirteen police officers were injured, he said.

Witnesses said the demonstration in front of the governor's offices began peacefully, but when it grew larger, government security guards fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd. Clashes with police began after demonstrators threw rocks and attacked a police vehicle, setting it on fire, witnesses said. Iraq's new Shia-led government took power in January elections promising to end violence and restore public services. But frustrations are running high with electricity shortages and high unemployment.

Samawah, 370km southeast of Baghdad, is where about 600 Japanese troops are based. They have been involved in a series of reconstruction efforts since arriving in the area in January 2004, including paving roads, rebuilding schools and providing hospitals with medical supplies and equipment.

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