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By Haydar Karaalp
BAGHDAD
Demonstrations against the government in Basra province, southern Iraq, spread to the nation's capital Friday night.
Protesters took to the streets of Baghdad to demand the resignation of government officials and some protesters burned tires to block roads.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters cut the road from Umm Qasr Port to Basra. In Maysan province, security forces fired on protesters, killing one dead and 15 wounded
Tensions have escalated in Basra since Sunday, when a protester was killed by security forces.
On Friday morning, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi went to Basra, where he promised to respond to protesters' grievances.
About 80% of Iraq's total crude oil exports come from the oil fields of Basra province.
For years, residents of Basra complained that foreign nationals, rather than locals, were employed by the domestic energy sector.
They also complain of frequent power outages in summer temperatures that often reach up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
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