Iraqi police opened fire on stone-throwing protesters demanding jobs in the southeastern city of Amara today and at least six people were killed, hospital and police sources said.
A doctor at a local hospital, who gave his name only as Assad, said six people were killed and seven were injured.
Earlier, police officials said they opened fire after the protesters began throwing stones at the headquarters of the provincial government in the city.
Almost every window in the building housing the provincial government was smashed, residents said.
Protests post-war Iraq have often turned violent. Many of the protests in Baghdad and in the south have been by the unemployed.
On Tuesday, Iraqi police opened fire in the southern city of Basra on former soldiers demanding payment of a promised stipend, wounding at least four people.