Twenty two of security forces and six protesters have been injured in clashes in Maysan, southern Iraq.

The Iraqi Oil Minister Jabbar Ali al-Allaibi confirmed "the security forces controlled the general situation there," denying the evacuation of foreign staff.

While Basra, the southern province, is the richest of the Iraqi provinces in terms of oil reserves, and oil exports, including more than 65% of Iraq's revenues, it suffers from poor services, especially power cuts and poor living conditions. Forcing citizens to go out to the streets, burning tires and chanting slogans denouncing corruption.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Basra directly from Brussels. He  met with officials in Basra to discuss the growing demonstrations and promised to fulfill the protesters’ wishes for better services and jobs.

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq’s top cleric, issued a statement, expressing his solidarity with the protesters. He added that he was concerned about people’s difficult living conditions.

The protests over basic services come at a sensitive time when Iraqi political factions are trying to form a coalition government after the May 12 parliamentary elections.

Public Relations Manager of Iranian Mashhad International Airport, Hassan Jaffari announced on Saturday that flights to Iraq’s southern city of Najaf have been suspended amid ongoing protests.

Jaffari pointed out that flights from Mashhad to Najaf have been diverted to Baghdad until further notice.

Kuwait Airways has also halted all flights heading to the city of Najaf due to the violent mass protests which have engulfed parts of Iraq.