<p> Thousands flooded Iraq's southern hotspot of Nasiriyah on Monday as a resident died from wounds sustained in clashes last week between anti-government protesters and supporters of a controversial cleric.</p>.<p>Ridha al-Rikaby was hit in the head by a bullet on Friday when followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr clashed with young demonstrators in Nasiriyah's Habboubi Square, medics told AFP.</p>.<p>He died on Monday, bringing the toll from the day of violence to eight dead and several dozen wounded, and thousands took to the streets in a funeral march, an AFP correspondent said</p>.<p>After last week's clashes, authorities imposed a lockdown to try to stem further rallies in the southern city, sacked the provincial police chief and launched an investigation into the events.</p>.<p>Iraqi premier Mustafa al-Kadhemi dispatched National Security Advisor Qasem al-Arakji and other senior officials to Nasiriyah on Monday for talks with protesters.</p>.<p>But anger simmered in Nasiriyah.</p>.<p>"Once again, peaceful protesters are dying under the government's nose, and the security forces can't hold the killers accountable," a demonstrator told AFP.</p>.<p>Nasiriyah was a major hub for the protest movement that erupted in October 2019 against a government seen by demonstrators as corrupt, inept and beholden to neighbouring Iran.</p>.<p>Nearly 600 people died across Iraq in protest-related violence during those rallies, including trauma wounds sustained by tear gas canisters, but there has been virtually no accountability for those deaths.</p>.<p>Last week's violence coincided with the one-year anniversary of one of the bloodiest incidents of the 2019 uprising, when more than three dozen people died at Nasiriyah's Zeitun (Olive) Bridge on November 28.</p>
<p> Thousands flooded Iraq's southern hotspot of Nasiriyah on Monday as a resident died from wounds sustained in clashes last week between anti-government protesters and supporters of a controversial cleric.</p>.<p>Ridha al-Rikaby was hit in the head by a bullet on Friday when followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr clashed with young demonstrators in Nasiriyah's Habboubi Square, medics told AFP.</p>.<p>He died on Monday, bringing the toll from the day of violence to eight dead and several dozen wounded, and thousands took to the streets in a funeral march, an AFP correspondent said</p>.<p>After last week's clashes, authorities imposed a lockdown to try to stem further rallies in the southern city, sacked the provincial police chief and launched an investigation into the events.</p>.<p>Iraqi premier Mustafa al-Kadhemi dispatched National Security Advisor Qasem al-Arakji and other senior officials to Nasiriyah on Monday for talks with protesters.</p>.<p>But anger simmered in Nasiriyah.</p>.<p>"Once again, peaceful protesters are dying under the government's nose, and the security forces can't hold the killers accountable," a demonstrator told AFP.</p>.<p>Nasiriyah was a major hub for the protest movement that erupted in October 2019 against a government seen by demonstrators as corrupt, inept and beholden to neighbouring Iran.</p>.<p>Nearly 600 people died across Iraq in protest-related violence during those rallies, including trauma wounds sustained by tear gas canisters, but there has been virtually no accountability for those deaths.</p>.<p>Last week's violence coincided with the one-year anniversary of one of the bloodiest incidents of the 2019 uprising, when more than three dozen people died at Nasiriyah's Zeitun (Olive) Bridge on November 28.</p>