Bagdad - At least two people were killed this Wednesday and 200 others were injured as a result of police repression against a massive demonstration condemning unemployment, corruption and the scarcity of public services.

Security forces used tear gas, water cannons and fired shots to disperse protesters, while the demonstraton was echoed in other Iraqi cities.

A statement from the Ministry of Health confirmed that 40 officers were among the wounded.

Carrying Iraqi flags, demonstrators gathered Tuesday in the capital's iconic Tahrir Square with a wide range of demands, though the moblization apparently had no specific leaders.

The protests condemned the lack of public services, power cuts, water shortages and unemployment, especially among young people.

It is popular perception that endemic corruption and political chicanery hinder the country's recovery after years of sectarian conflict and a devastating war against the terrorist Islamic State.