One killed and forty seven hurt in Iraq protests

(Reuters)

One person has been killed and 47 others injured during overnight protests in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniyah, police and hospital officials said.

A police official said around 2,000 people took part in scattered demonstrations around the city, 160 miles (260km) north-east of Baghdad.

Many Kurds are frustrated with the tight grip with which the two ruling parties control the Kurdish autonomous region.

The police official said Kurdish security forces opened fire in the air to disperse the crowd.

Hospital officials said about 20 people were shot, including a 17-year-old who later died of his wounds. The others were hit by flying stones.