Iraqi Protesters Fired on by Masked Gunmen, 18 Dead, Almost 400 Wounded

Protests in the streets of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities is continuing into a fifth day on Tuesday as the nation continues to rise up against Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi’s rule. Estimates of the number of protesters range as high as 25,000. In Kerbala, 18 people were killed and almost 400 wounded in fighting over the weekend by masked gunmen that are now believed to have been Syrian army forces. Regular troops were reported to have moved out of the way when the live-fire teams made there way into the area where the demonstrators were protesting. It is estimated that at least 250 Iraqis have died in the violent protests since they began at the beginning of October.