Death toll rises to 104 amid protests across Iraq

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Protesters gather in eastern Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 5, 2019. Death toll in five days of violent protests in Iraqi capital Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces climbed to 99 with nearly 4,000 people wounded, a member of the Iraqi human rights body said on Saturday.

Baghdad, Death toll in protests in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities rose to 104 with more than 6,000 people wounded, including security members, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said on Sunday.

In a press conference, spokesman for the ministry Saad Maan told reporters that the death toll has risen to 104 people, including eight security members, the Xinhua news agency reported.

A total of 6,107 people were wounded in the violence that accompanied the demonstrations, among them 1,241 security members, Maan said, adding 52 vehicles of civilians and security entities were destroyed in the violent events.

Unidentified gunmen on Sunday attacked offices of local and foreign media establishments, including NRT, Dijlah and the office of Saudi-based al-Arabiya TV and al-Hadath TV, the spokesman said, adding investigations on the attacks are ongoing.

Eight offices of political parties were set ablaze by angry protesters, he confirmed, while two security checkpoints were also burnt.

Protests erupted in the capital Baghdad and several provinces across Iraq starting last Tuesday over unemployment and lack of improvement in public services.