Rioters burned down several buildings including those belonging to political parties in Basra on Thursday as protests continued to escalate into broader civil unrest, increasing the threat to the heart of Iraq’s oil sector. Several buildings in Basra city have been set on fire, according to multiple local security and political officials, including the governorate building, the municipalities building, the governor’s residence, and the political offices of the Badr Organization, the Fadhila party, Hikma party, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and the Irada party.