four protesters were killed and 100 more were wounded during clashes with the Iraqi security force as they pushed protesters back towards their main camp in central Baghdad using live ammunition, tear gas, and sound bombs. This has raised the death toll over 300 and more than 15,000 wounded since the beginning of the protests early October. Iraqi PM Adel Abdulmahdi said on Saturday “ The protests have helped and will help pressure political groups and  the government to reform and accept change “

Iraq’s Umm Qasr port was reopened on Saturday as operations resumed while Iraqi security forces regained control of three bridges in Baghdad. Port officials said terminals were operating as usual on Saturday, and ships were unloading cargo.

Iraq’s defense ministry said late on Friday that “terrorist elements” had fired 17 Katyusha rockets at Qayyarah base in Nineveh province where US troops are hosted. No Casualties or material damages were caused, however, security forces are conducting research for the firing source.

Top Shia cleric, Al-Sistani, said on Friday that Baghdad had a “unique opportunity” to respond to protesters’ demands and called on security forces not to resort to violence in response. He also repeated claims that “external” influence was behind at least some of the popular upheaval. He reiterated his call for authorities to hold to account members of security forces responsible for killing demonstrators.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck northwestern Iran early Friday, killing at least five people and injuring over 300 others, as state television reported. The temblor struck Tark county in Iran’s Eastern Azerbaijan province at 2:17 a.m. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Iran’s seismological center said. The area is some 400 kilometers (250 miles) northwest of Iran’s capital, Tehran.