47 policemen injured in violence outside Iranian consulate in Iraq

Forty-seven police personnel were wounded in clashes with demonstrators outside the Iranian consulate building in Iraq's southern city of Najaf, Luay Yasiri, the governor of the Najaf province, told Al Arabiya on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the provincial authorities imposed a curfew in the area as dozens of people were involved in the clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

A security source told Sputnik that more than 80 people were injured in the violence. Moreover, the demonstrators set the Iranian consulate building on fire.

"Forty-seven Najaf police members were wounded during the developments (close to) the Iranian consulate," Yasiri told the broadcaster.

The governor emphasised that firefighters were still working to extinguish the fire at the consulate building.

The police have been instructed to avoid using live ammunition for dispersing the demonstrators, according to Yasiri.

The violent protests have been rocking southern Iraq since early October.

More than 350 people were killed and about 15,000 people were wounded since the beginning of the protests. The demonstrators are rallying against corruption, low living standards and unemployment.