Protests Held In Several Iraqi Cities

Thousands of Kurdish antigovernment protesters in the town of Sulaimaniyah earlier this month

Protesters gathered in several Iraqi cities today, with the largest demonstration held in the Kurdish town of Sulaimaniyah, where some 4,000 people called for the dismissal of the regional administration.

One protester in Sulaimaniyah tried to set himself ablaze, but other demonstrators extinguished the flames before the man suffered major injuries.

Protesters in Sulaimaniyah carried pictures of demonstrators killed in recent weeks and called for the dismissal of regional President Masud Barzani.

There was also a large protest on Tahrir Square in Baghdad, where demonstrators accused security forces of beating protesters at a rally at the end of February.

There were also demonstrations in Najaf and Basra.

compiled from agency reports