Protesters continue to block entrance to Iraq's Umm Qasr commodities port near Basra

BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Protesters continued on Thursday to block the entrance to Iraq's Umm Qasr commodities port near Basra, port employees and local officials said.

Demonstrations spread to the port on Wednesday night, raising the stakes in some of the worst unrest in southern Iraqi cities in months.

Umm Qasr receives Iraqi imports of grain, vegetable oils and sugar shipments. So far it is not clear if the unrest will have a serious impact on the port's operations.

(Reporting by Aref Mohammed; Editing by Gareth Jones)