Residents in Iraq's Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah protest power cuts by blocking roads

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Residents of the Nahda neighborhood in Diwaniyah took to the streets on Thursday, burning tires to block streets and avenues in protest against electricity outages, according to a local correspondent. In the same province of Dhi Qar, dozens of people also held demonstrations in central Nasiriyah and surrounding areas, citing a sharp drop in power supply. Protesters in the Feda neighborhood of central Nasiriyah and in the Fuhud district to the east blocked roads with burning tires, the correspondent reported. The protests come as faults in the electricity grid and insufficient energy supply have fueled public anger in southern Iraqi cities in recent days. Security forces were monitoring the situation in the area, and the demonstrations were continuing into the evening hours, the correspondent added.