- Masked gunmen opened fire in the Shiite holy city of Karbala on Monday night
- At least eighteen people were killed and hundreds were wounded on the streets
- Iraqis were demonstrating for the fifth day against government corruption
- It is not clear who was behind the attack, some locals blamed Iranian milita
Eighteen people have been shot dead and hundreds wounded in one of the deadliest attacks on Iraqi anti-government protesters since demonstrations began this month.
Masked gunmen opened fire last night in the Shiite holy city of Karbala after protesters took to the streets for a fifth consecutive day, demonstrating against lack of services and other grievances.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, and protesters said they did not know whether the masked men were riot police, special forces or Iran-linked militias.
The bloodshed in Karbala, a major pilgrimage site where a revered Shiite figure was killed in a 7th century battle, could mark a turning point in the demonstrations.