ERBIL - At least 831 people have so far been killed or injured in the past ten days of protests in Iraq, a Baghdad-based war monitor said on Sunday.

"The clashes between security forces and protesters in Iraq’s south and center left 831 people dead and injured since the start of the demonstrations 10 days ago," Iraqi News quoted Mostafa Saadon, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, while speaking at a press conference, adding that the security forces are currently searching for protest organizers who took part in the capital city of Baghdad and the other provinces.

The observatory group has not specified the number of people killed in the protests.

"Iraqi authorities arrested 348 people for taking part in the rallies, 314 of whom were released later after signing a pledge that they will not stage or call for any protests afterwards," Hesam el-Hashemy, a member of the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, was quoted by the news agency.

Demonstrations against the poor public services and job vacancies, were first staged in Basra province two weeks ago, but they were later expanded to Amara, Nasiriya, Karbala and the Shiite holy city of Najaf, including some parts of Baghdad.

basnews