Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr called on the government to resign as violence spiked Friday across the country and
protesters clashed with
police on the fourth day of deadly demonstrations against corruption and unemployment.
The former Shiite militia leader, whose bloc is the biggest in parliament, said in a statement that in order to avoid further deaths "the government should resign and early
elections should be held under UN supervision".
At least 60 people have died over four days of bloody protest across
Iraq, the Iraqi
Human Rights Commission said late Friday, without specifying how many were civilians or security forces.