Iraq was under an internet blackout for the most part of Thursday as the country continues to experience violence as security forces engaged protesters in running battles for the third straight day.

Scores of people are feared dead and hundreds others wounded since Tuesday in the clashes which have spread across different cities in the Western Asian country, according to local media outlets.

Thousands have been demonstrating on the streets of Baghdad and other cities, against alleged government failures.

The Iraqi government has condemned the protests but vowed to address the concerns.

The United Nations top envoy in the country on Wednesday called for calm and restraint from both sides.

"The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert calls for calm, and deeply regrets the casualties among both the protesters and security forces," said a statement by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The Iraqi government has imposed a curfew in the capital Baghdad and other cities in a bid to contain the protests.

The protests are the largest to hit the Western Asian country since Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi took office a year ago.

(With input from BBC and Guardian)