British troops kill five during protest in Iraq
Five protesters in the southern city of Amarah, Iraq, have been shot dead by British troops and local police.
Shots were fired after demonstrators – angry about job prospects since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship – began throwing stones at a government building.
The demonstrators were believed to be demanding jobs.
Troops fired at two people suspected of being armed with grenades, a British military spokesman said.
The spokesman said five bodies were found after the incident, with a further seven other people injured.
At least five people are reported to have been killed when troops and Iraqi police fired on crowds demanding jobs.
The Ministry of Defence said: “It is our understanding that there have been six casualties – five fatalities and one injured.
“We believe that [coalition forces] killed one and injured another. We do not have any further information on the other four fatalities.”
