Iraqi police and medical sources said that the security forces raided the main protest headquarters in the capital, Baghdad, today, Saturday, and tried to disperse the protesters in southern cities, and fired tear gas and bullets, killing four people and wounding dozens.

The attempt to break the sit-ins came hours after Sadr movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr announced that he would stop participating in anti-government demonstrations.

Sadr supporters began leaving the sit-in camps during the night after Sadr's announcement, and the clashes occurred after the authorities began removing concrete barriers near Tahrir Square, where anti-government protesters had been protesting for months, and at least one major bridge over the Tigris River in Baghdad.

In the southern city of Basra, security sources said that security forces raided the main anti-government sit-in during the night and deployed heavily to prevent protesters from gathering there again, and the sources added that the police arrested at least 16 protesters in Basra.

Security and medical sources said that one person was killed and at least 30 were wounded in clashes between police and protesters near Tahrir Square in Baghdad. Security and medical sources said that three others were killed and 14 wounded in the southern city of Nasiriyah after security forces took control of a bridge that had been occupied by protesters days ago.