Iraq (and Beyond) Live: Scores Killed in Protest Camp and in Attacks Outside Mosques

1841 GMT: Iraq

At least eight people were killed and 23 more wounded when a car bomb exploded in eastern Baghdad, police and medical sources said.

1256 GMT: Bahrain

The visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment has been put off until further notice at the request of the regime.

Juan Mendez was due in the Kingdom from 8-15 May.

Mendez said in a statement:

This is the second time that my visit has been postponed, at very short notice. It is effectively a cancellation as no alternative dates were proposed nor is there a future road map to discuss.

Let me be clear this was a unilateral decision by the authorities. Unfortunately, it is not the first time the government has tried to avoid responsibility for the postponement of my visit, which was originally supposed to take place over a year ago.

0735 GMT: Iraq.

More than 40 people were killed in attacks and clashes across the country on Tuesday.

Security forces stormed a Sunni Muslim protest camp near in the town of Hawija, near Kirkuk, triggering a gunfight between troops and demonstrators.

Throughout the day, mortar attacks, bombs and gunmen also killed at least 21 worshippers as they left two Sunni mosques in Baghdad and another in Diyala Province in the north.

The Ministry of Defense said about the Hawija raid, "When the armed forces started...to enforce the law using units of riot control forces, they were confronted with heavy fire." The Ministry claimed troops found rocket-propelled grenades, sniper rifles, and other weapons.

Protest leaders said the attack was unprovoked and  they were unarmed when security forces stormed in and started shooting.

"When special forces raided the square, we were not prepared and we had no weapons. They crushed some of us in their vehicles," said Ahmed Hawija, a student.

The Ministry of Defense said 20 "gunmen" and three security officers were slain.

Minister of Education Mohammed Ali Tamim and Minjister of Science and Technology Abdulkarim al-Samarraie both resigned after the incident. Two other Sunni nministers have quit since 1 March amid protests and divisions within the Government.