Iraq's Najaf airport reopens following brief closure

By Hamdi Yildiz, Mohamed Waleed and Naza Mohammed

MUTHANNA, BAGHDAD, MOSUL, Iraq

Airport of southern Iraqi city Najaf has been reopened, Iraq Prime Minister's Office Spokesperson Sad al-Hadisi told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.

On Friday, hundreds of protesters stormed the Najaf Airport in protest against mismanagement of airport revenues by political parties in the province. After the incident, Iraqi authorities suspended take offs from and landings to the airport.

Tensions have steadily mounted in Basra, Najaf and other southern provinces over high unemployment and lack of basic services.

Also on Sunday, a curfew was imposed in the southeastern Iraqi city of Samawah after protests over poor living standards.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Parliament Speaker Haris Lahmoud said that a curfew was imposed in Samawah city of Muthanna province and other cities of Basra, Karbala, and Najaf.

Meanwhile, two protesters were killed by security forces in Iraq’s southern city of Basra on Sunday.

The deaths occurred as security forces used force to disperse demonstrators, who had stormed the governor’s office in the city, according to eyewitnesses and a local official. Several other protesters were injured.

Ten soldiers were wounded as protesters pelted stones at security forces, the same sources said, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Iraqi Ministry of Electricity has decreased northern Mosul city's share of electricity from 750 megawatts to 400 megawatts, Mohamed Hameed, spokesman for Mosul electricity department, told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.

Hameed said the share of electricity was decreased in Mosul in order to cover the deficit in the areas affected by the protests.