A female political activist has been shot dead in the Iraqi city of Basra, in the third such attack in a week. Riham Yaqoob, a doctor who led local anti-government protests, was killed by unidentified assailants on Wednesday. The killing on Friday of another activist, Tahseen Osama, saw protesters take to the streets to demand the authorities uncover those responsible. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi dismissed Basra's chief of police and other security officials in response. Following the killing of Dr Yaqoob, he vowed to "do everything necessary for the security forces to undertake their duties". "Complicity with the killers and submitting to their threats is rejected and we will do everything necessary for the ministry of interior and security agencies to carry out the task of protecting the security of society from the threats of outlaws," he added.
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