Iraqi police open fire on demonstrators in Saddam's hometown

Just few hours after Iraq's president addressed hundreds of Shiite clerics, calling for national unity, police in Saddam Hussein's hometown opened fire on demonstrators.

Police opened fire on 1,000 demonstrators Thursday at the seat of the provincial government in Saddam Hussein's hometown who were protesting the killing of the local council's head official, authorities said. At least four were wounded, reports the AP.

The protesters demanded the resignation of the deputy governor and police chief because they believe their clan was responsible for Wednesday's killing of Ali Ghalib Ibrahim, who belongs to a rival clan, Mayor Wael Ibrahim Ali said.

Ibrahim, who headed Salahuddin's provincial council, was killed while driving in Tikrit, the province's capital, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad.

"He was fighting the corruption in the city council and that's why they assassinated him," Ali said during the demonstration.

Police guarding the provincial government building first fired warning shots into the air followed by volleys into the crowd, police Lt. Khudhir Ali said. The four wounded including a policemen, but it was not clear how he was shot, he said.