Three protesters were shot dead and 12 others injured overnight during a protest outside the Iranian consulate in Karbala, when Iraqi security forces opened fire on a crowd that gathered in front of the Iranian consulate in Kerbala, medical sources said on Monday.

The protesters had tried to set fire to the consulate, the sources said.

At least 250 people have lost their lives since anti-government rallies broke out in Iraq on October,1. (ILKHA)