The clashes began on Monday after the cleric Moqtada Sadr announced that he was retiring from politics. After an overnight break and despite the curfewthe violence intensified again at dawn, with the firing of automatic weapons and rocket explosions in the area where the government buildings and embassies are located.
According to a new balance from the medical services on Tuesday, the number of Sadr supporters killed rose to 23, with at least 380 other injuriessome by bullet and others by inhalation of tear gas.
Beyond the Green Zone, the rest of Baghdad woke up quiet, amid an Iraq-wide curfew that will last Tuesday. The stores were closed and few cars circulated on its streets.
The reason for the latest outbreak of violence in Iraq
The violence pits supporters of the influential cleric against the army and the men of the group hashed al shabi (Popular Mobilization Units, PMU), a former Shia paramilitary group backed by Iran and now integrated into the regular forces.
The riots began when thousands of Sadr’s supporters stormed after his resignation from the Palace of the Republic, the seat of government in the Green Zone of Baghdad. Although they initially celebrated their assault by taking pictures in the meeting rooms or cooling off in the pool, the situation deteriorated.
A security source indicated that the Sadrists fired on the Green Zone from the outer perimeter and were replicated by the army’s special forces and a Hashed al-Shabi unit inside.
Witnesses also spoke of shootouts between loyalists to the cleric and supporters of the rival Shiite bloc. Coordination Frameworkof pro-Iranian tendency.
The protests spread to other parts such as Nasiriyah and Hillacities south of Baghdad where the Sadrists also occupied government buildings.
The UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) He described the events as “an extremely dangerous escalation” and urged all parties to “refrain from acts that could lead to an unstoppable chain of events.” “The survival of the state is at stake“, he warned.
USA urged calm amid “alarming” reports and France He asked “the parties to exercise maximum restraint.”
Who is the leader Moqtada Sadr
Cleric Moqtada Sadr, a preacher with millions of devoted followers who led a militia against US and Iraqi forcesHe announced his departure from politics on Twitter. Two days before the announcement he called on “all parties”, including his group, to leave their government posts to help resolve the political crisis.
In last year’s elections, his bloc came out as the largest legislative group, with 73 seats, but not enough to have a majority. His deputies resigned in June to break the deadlock, with which the Coordination Framework became the largest fraction.
Hamzeh Hadadof European Council on Foreign Relationsconsidered that “it is not clear” what Sadr’s strategy was when he resigned.
“Whatever it means, in typical Sadrist style you’re always expected to back down,” he said. “The second point, the scariest, is that he is giving his followers the green light to do whatever they want,” he added.
Iraq has been immersed in the political gridlock since the legislative elections last October due to a disagreement between the Shiite factions on the formation of a coalition.
Sadr’s supporters have staged demonstrations in front of the Iraqi Parliament, after storming the legislature on July 30 to press for the dissolution of the chamber and the calling of new elections.
The Coordination Framework wants a designated new head of government before holding new elections.
Source: Ambito
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