Security forces clash with Iraqi job-seeking protesters in Basra

Shafaq News – Basra

Iraqi security forces on Sunday clashed with engineering graduates protesting outside the North Rumaila oil field, forcibly dispersing the demonstration over job demands in the energy sector.

Dozens of graduates in engineering, petroleum, geology, and related fields blocked the entrance to the facility, urging employment in Ministry of Oil companies. Many have maintained a sit-in for over seven months outside the Basra Oil Company, seeking contract or daily-wage roles, including positions in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) project.

The crackdown followed similar confrontations, including one on September 10 during Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari’s visit, and earlier incidents that left several protesters injured, fueling tensions between the Engineers Syndicate and local officials.

Read more: Basra oil graduates clash with police amid job protests

Basra, which generates most of Iraq’s oil revenue, remains marked by a stark contradiction—vast wealth alongside high youth unemployment. Protesters accused authorities of favoring politically connected hires over qualified locals, warning that continued neglect of their demands will trigger further unrest.

Read more: Protests and sit-ins erupt across southern Iraq over jobs and services