ERBIL - After the Kurdish prominent leader and former president of Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani expressed on Wednesday concerns over the current situation in the Iraqi southern province of Basra, in which several demonstrators have been killed or wounded, part of the city's people thanked the Kurdish top official.

"Besides the fact that demonstrations and protests are the right of the people, we believe that the residents of this city [Basra] deserve a good life," Barzani said, noting that it comes as a surprise that in one of the world's richest cities, people suffer from the lack of basic public services, including drinking water.

"We reiterate our support and sympathy for the people of Basra. We hope their rights are preserved and their demands are met. What they are asking are in fact the basic needs of people," the Kurdish leader added.

Hundreds of Iraqis in Basra thanked the influential leader on social media, some of them hoped "to be ruled by such a great leader."

"Barzani is a great leader. He knows how to serve his people. Couldn't our leaders make Basra sound like Erbil," a citizen identified as Neda Asadi, has written in a comment on an Iraqi Facebook post.

Saeed Ni'ama, another resident has written that "I really feel regret to have misunderstood you. You really serve your people. Those Kurds are stupid who don't appreciate that you have made a paradise from a region. I wish we would have such a loyal leader like you."

Thousands of people have been staging gatherings in Basra and other cities in central Iraq against the inefficient public services, high rate of unemployment and corruption.

Bas News