After two days of deadly unrest that sparked fears instability could spread across Iraq and even the region, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr told his supporters to leave the government district where they had gathered. Within minutes, some could be seen heeding the call, dismantling their tents and exiting the area known as the green belt. Iraq’s military also announced the lifting of a nationwide curfew, further raising hopes that the immediate crisis was easing, although larger political problems remain. “This is not a revolution,” al-Sadr said in a televised address, which followed calls for restraint and peace from several Iraqi officials and the United Nations. Al-Sadr resigned suddenly on Monday amid political impasse, and his supporters quickly stormed the Green Belt, once a US military stronghold that now houses Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies. “Deeply concerned by the fighting across #Iraq this afternoon,” Gregory Galligan, Canada’s ambassador to Iraq, tweeted. “The situation is very dangerous and could quickly spiral out of control. Canada urges all parties to take steps to quickly de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through negotiations for the benefit of all Iraqis.” Relatives attend a funeral for a man killed during clashes with security in Baghdad during his funeral in Najaf, Iraq, on Tuesday. (Anmar Khalil/The Associated Press) The Canadian embassy in Baghdad had advised Canadians in Iraq to “leave by commercial means when permitted and safe to do so.” Iraq’s government has been deadlocked since al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October’s parliamentary elections, but not enough to secure a majority government – unleashing months of infighting between different Shiite factions. Al Sadr refused to negotiate with his Iranian-backed Shiite rivals, and his departure on Monday has plunged Iraq into political uncertainty and instability with no clear path forward. We have changed the risk level for the pic.twitter.com/cvvpch05kB —@TravelGoC
Bullets, grenades fly
The violence threatened to deepen the political crisis, although roads in other parts of the country remained largely calm and the country’s vital oil continued to flow. Iran closed its border with Iraq – a sign of Tehran’s concern that chaos could spread. Live television footage showed al-Sadr supporters firing both heavy machine guns and grenades into the heavily fortified Green Belt through a section of demolished concrete walls. Bystanders, seemingly oblivious to the danger, filmed the fight on their cellphones. Members of al-Sadr Peace Brigades fighters gather during clashes with Iraqi security forces near Baghdad’s Green Belt on Tuesday. (Thaier Al-Sudani) As al-Sadr’s forces opened fire, a line of armored tanks stood on the other side of the barriers surrounding the green belt. Thick black smoke at one point billowed over the area, visible from miles away. At least one injured person was carried in a three-wheeled rickshaw, with the Iraqi Foreign Ministry visible in the background. At least 30 people were killed and more than 400 wounded, two Iraqi medical officials said. The toll includes both al-Sadr loyalists killed in protests the previous day and clashes overnight. Those numbers are expected to rise, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information to reporters. Members of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim sect were oppressed when Saddam Hussein ruled the country, but the US-led invasion in 2003 overturned the political order. Just under two-thirds of Iraq is Shia, with one-third Sunni. Now the Shiites are fighting each other, with Iranian-backed Shiites and Iraqi nationalist Shiites fighting for power, influence and state resources. WATCH l Scenes from Monday’s unrest:
Muqtada al-Sadr’s loyalists storm Iraqi cabinet headquarters after cleric resigns
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Monday that he would retire from politics, prompting supporters who had already staged sit-ins to storm the Iraqi government headquarters and even jump into the palace pool. Al-Sadr’s nationalist rhetoric and reformist agenda resonates strongly with his supporters, who largely come from the poorest sections of Iraqi society and were historically excluded from the political system under Saddam. Iranian state television cited unrest and a military-imposed curfew in Iraqi cities as the reason for the border closure. He called on Iranians to avoid any travel to the neighboring country. The decision came as millions of people prepared to visit Iraq for an annual pilgrimage to Shiite sites, and Tehran encouraged Iranian pilgrims already in Iraq to avoid further travel between cities.
Flights, embassy services were cancelled
Kuwait, meanwhile, called on its citizens to leave Iraq. The state-run Kuwait News Agency also encouraged those hoping to travel to Iraq to delay their plans. The tiny Gulf Arab sheikhdom of Kuwait shares a 254km border with Iraq. Armored security vehicles are seen patrolling Baghdad’s Green Belt during clashes with the military wing linked to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images) The Netherlands has evacuated its embassy in the green zone, its foreign minister tweeted early Tuesday. “There is shooting around the embassy in Baghdad. Our staff is now working at the German embassy elsewhere in the city,” wrote Wopke Hoekstra. Dubai’s long-haul carrier Emirates suspended flights to Baghdad on Tuesday due to the ongoing unrest. The carrier said it was “monitoring the situation closely”. He did not say when flights would resume. On Monday, protesters loyal to al-Sadr pulled down concrete barriers outside the government palace with ropes and breached the palace gates. Many rushed into the palace’s opulent salons and marble halls, a key meeting point for Iraqi heads of state and foreign dignitaries. Iraq’s military announced a nationwide curfew and the caretaker prime minister suspended cabinet meetings in response to the violence.
title: “At Least 30 Dead In Clashes In Iraq After Powerful Cleric Resigns Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-07” author: “Maxie Lusk”
After two days of deadly unrest that sparked fears instability could spread across Iraq and even the region, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr told his supporters to leave the government district where they had gathered. Within minutes, some could be seen heeding the call, dismantling their tents and exiting the area known as the green belt. Iraq’s military also announced the lifting of a nationwide curfew, further raising hopes that the immediate crisis was easing, although larger political problems remain. “This is not a revolution,” al-Sadr said in a televised address, which followed calls for restraint and peace from several Iraqi officials and the United Nations. Al-Sadr resigned suddenly on Monday amid political impasse, and his supporters quickly stormed the Green Belt, once a US military stronghold that now houses Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies. “Deeply concerned by the fighting across #Iraq this afternoon,” Gregory Galligan, Canada’s ambassador to Iraq, tweeted. “The situation is very dangerous and could quickly spiral out of control. Canada urges all parties to take steps to quickly de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through negotiations for the benefit of all Iraqis.” Relatives attend a funeral for a man killed during clashes with security in Baghdad during his funeral in Najaf, Iraq, on Tuesday. (Anmar Khalil/The Associated Press) The Canadian embassy in Baghdad had advised Canadians in Iraq to “leave by commercial means when permitted and safe to do so.” Iraq’s government has been deadlocked since al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October’s parliamentary elections, but not enough to secure a majority government – unleashing months of infighting between different Shiite factions. Al Sadr refused to negotiate with his Iranian-backed Shiite rivals, and his departure on Monday has plunged Iraq into political uncertainty and instability with no clear path forward. We have changed the risk level for the pic.twitter.com/cvvpch05kB —@TravelGoC
Bullets, grenades fly
The violence threatened to deepen the political crisis, although roads in other parts of the country remained largely calm and the country’s vital oil continued to flow. Iran closed its border with Iraq – a sign of Tehran’s concern that chaos could spread. Live television footage showed al-Sadr supporters firing both heavy machine guns and grenades into the heavily fortified Green Belt through a section of demolished concrete walls. Bystanders, seemingly oblivious to the danger, filmed the fight on their cellphones. Members of al-Sadr Peace Brigades fighters gather during clashes with Iraqi security forces near Baghdad’s Green Belt on Tuesday. (Thaier Al-Sudani) As al-Sadr’s forces opened fire, a line of armored tanks stood on the other side of the barriers surrounding the green belt. Thick black smoke at one point billowed over the area, visible from miles away. At least one injured person was carried in a three-wheeled rickshaw, with the Iraqi Foreign Ministry visible in the background. At least 30 people were killed and more than 400 wounded, two Iraqi medical officials said. The toll includes both al-Sadr loyalists killed in protests the previous day and clashes overnight. Those numbers are expected to rise, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information to reporters. Members of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim sect were oppressed when Saddam Hussein ruled the country, but the US-led invasion in 2003 overturned the political order. Just under two-thirds of Iraq is Shia, with one-third Sunni. Now the Shiites are fighting each other, with Iranian-backed Shiites and Iraqi nationalist Shiites fighting for power, influence and state resources. WATCH l Scenes from Monday’s unrest:
Muqtada al-Sadr’s loyalists storm Iraqi cabinet headquarters after cleric resigns
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Monday that he would retire from politics, prompting supporters who had already staged sit-ins to storm the Iraqi government headquarters and even jump into the palace pool. Al-Sadr’s nationalist rhetoric and reformist agenda resonates strongly with his supporters, who largely come from the poorest sections of Iraqi society and were historically excluded from the political system under Saddam. Iranian state television cited unrest and a military-imposed curfew in Iraqi cities as the reason for the border closure. He called on Iranians to avoid any travel to the neighboring country. The decision came as millions of people prepared to visit Iraq for an annual pilgrimage to Shiite sites, and Tehran encouraged Iranian pilgrims already in Iraq to avoid further travel between cities.
Flights, embassy services were cancelled
Kuwait, meanwhile, called on its citizens to leave Iraq. The state-run Kuwait News Agency also encouraged those hoping to travel to Iraq to delay their plans. The tiny Gulf Arab sheikhdom of Kuwait shares a 254km border with Iraq. Armored security vehicles are seen patrolling Baghdad’s Green Belt during clashes with the military wing linked to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images) The Netherlands has evacuated its embassy in the green zone, its foreign minister tweeted early Tuesday. “There is shooting around the embassy in Baghdad. Our staff is now working at the German embassy elsewhere in the city,” wrote Wopke Hoekstra. Dubai’s long-haul carrier Emirates suspended flights to Baghdad on Tuesday due to the ongoing unrest. The carrier said it was “monitoring the situation closely”. He did not say when flights would resume. On Monday, protesters loyal to al-Sadr pulled down concrete barriers outside the government palace with ropes and breached the palace gates. Many rushed into the palace’s opulent salons and marble halls, a key meeting point for Iraqi heads of state and foreign dignitaries. Iraq’s military announced a nationwide curfew and the caretaker prime minister suspended cabinet meetings in response to the violence.
title: “At Least 30 Dead In Clashes In Iraq After Powerful Cleric Resigns Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-04” author: “Clair Carroll”
After two days of deadly unrest that sparked fears instability could spread across Iraq and even the region, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr told his supporters to leave the government district where they had gathered. Within minutes, some could be seen heeding the call, dismantling their tents and exiting the area known as the green belt. Iraq’s military also announced the lifting of a nationwide curfew, further raising hopes that the immediate crisis was easing, although larger political problems remain. “This is not a revolution,” al-Sadr said in a televised address, which followed calls for restraint and peace from several Iraqi officials and the United Nations. Al-Sadr resigned suddenly on Monday amid political impasse, and his supporters quickly stormed the Green Belt, once a US military stronghold that now houses Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies. “Deeply concerned by the fighting across #Iraq this afternoon,” Gregory Galligan, Canada’s ambassador to Iraq, tweeted. “The situation is very dangerous and could quickly spiral out of control. Canada urges all parties to take steps to quickly de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through negotiations for the benefit of all Iraqis.” Relatives attend a funeral for a man killed during clashes with security in Baghdad during his funeral in Najaf, Iraq, on Tuesday. (Anmar Khalil/The Associated Press) The Canadian embassy in Baghdad had advised Canadians in Iraq to “leave by commercial means when permitted and safe to do so.” Iraq’s government has been deadlocked since al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October’s parliamentary elections, but not enough to secure a majority government – unleashing months of infighting between different Shiite factions. Al Sadr refused to negotiate with his Iranian-backed Shiite rivals, and his departure on Monday has plunged Iraq into political uncertainty and instability with no clear path forward. We have changed the risk level for the pic.twitter.com/cvvpch05kB —@TravelGoC
Bullets, grenades fly
The violence threatened to deepen the political crisis, although roads in other parts of the country remained largely calm and the country’s vital oil continued to flow. Iran closed its border with Iraq – a sign of Tehran’s concern that chaos could spread. Live television footage showed al-Sadr supporters firing both heavy machine guns and grenades into the heavily fortified Green Belt through a section of demolished concrete walls. Bystanders, seemingly oblivious to the danger, filmed the fight on their cellphones. Members of al-Sadr Peace Brigades fighters gather during clashes with Iraqi security forces near Baghdad’s Green Belt on Tuesday. (Thaier Al-Sudani) As al-Sadr’s forces opened fire, a line of armored tanks stood on the other side of the barriers surrounding the green belt. Thick black smoke at one point billowed over the area, visible from miles away. At least one injured person was carried in a three-wheeled rickshaw, with the Iraqi Foreign Ministry visible in the background. At least 30 people were killed and more than 400 wounded, two Iraqi medical officials said. The toll includes both al-Sadr loyalists killed in protests the previous day and clashes overnight. Those numbers are expected to rise, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information to reporters. Members of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim sect were oppressed when Saddam Hussein ruled the country, but the US-led invasion in 2003 overturned the political order. Just under two-thirds of Iraq is Shia, with one-third Sunni. Now the Shiites are fighting each other, with Iranian-backed Shiites and Iraqi nationalist Shiites fighting for power, influence and state resources. WATCH l Scenes from Monday’s unrest:
Muqtada al-Sadr’s loyalists storm Iraqi cabinet headquarters after cleric resigns
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Monday that he would retire from politics, prompting supporters who had already staged sit-ins to storm the Iraqi government headquarters and even jump into the palace pool. Al-Sadr’s nationalist rhetoric and reformist agenda resonates strongly with his supporters, who largely come from the poorest sections of Iraqi society and were historically excluded from the political system under Saddam. Iranian state television cited unrest and a military-imposed curfew in Iraqi cities as the reason for the border closure. He called on Iranians to avoid any travel to the neighboring country. The decision came as millions of people prepared to visit Iraq for an annual pilgrimage to Shiite sites, and Tehran encouraged Iranian pilgrims already in Iraq to avoid further travel between cities.
Flights, embassy services were cancelled
Kuwait, meanwhile, called on its citizens to leave Iraq. The state-run Kuwait News Agency also encouraged those hoping to travel to Iraq to delay their plans. The tiny Gulf Arab sheikhdom of Kuwait shares a 254km border with Iraq. Armored security vehicles are seen patrolling Baghdad’s Green Belt during clashes with the military wing linked to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images) The Netherlands has evacuated its embassy in the green zone, its foreign minister tweeted early Tuesday. “There is shooting around the embassy in Baghdad. Our staff is now working at the German embassy elsewhere in the city,” wrote Wopke Hoekstra. Dubai’s long-haul carrier Emirates suspended flights to Baghdad on Tuesday due to the ongoing unrest. The carrier said it was “monitoring the situation closely”. He did not say when flights would resume. On Monday, protesters loyal to al-Sadr pulled down concrete barriers outside the government palace with ropes and breached the palace gates. Many rushed into the palace’s opulent salons and marble halls, a key meeting point for Iraqi heads of state and foreign dignitaries. Iraq’s military announced a nationwide curfew and the caretaker prime minister suspended cabinet meetings in response to the violence.
title: “At Least 30 Dead In Clashes In Iraq After Powerful Cleric Resigns Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-24” author: “John Whitrock”
After two days of deadly unrest that sparked fears instability could spread across Iraq and even the region, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr told his supporters to leave the government district where they had gathered. Within minutes, some could be seen heeding the call, dismantling their tents and exiting the area known as the green belt. Iraq’s military also announced the lifting of a nationwide curfew, further raising hopes that the immediate crisis was easing, although larger political problems remain. “This is not a revolution,” al-Sadr said in a televised address, which followed calls for restraint and peace from several Iraqi officials and the United Nations. Al-Sadr resigned suddenly on Monday amid political impasse, and his supporters quickly stormed the Green Belt, once a US military stronghold that now houses Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies. “Deeply concerned by the fighting across #Iraq this afternoon,” Gregory Galligan, Canada’s ambassador to Iraq, tweeted. “The situation is very dangerous and could quickly spiral out of control. Canada urges all parties to take steps to quickly de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through negotiations for the benefit of all Iraqis.” Relatives attend a funeral for a man killed during clashes with security in Baghdad during his funeral in Najaf, Iraq, on Tuesday. (Anmar Khalil/The Associated Press) The Canadian embassy in Baghdad had advised Canadians in Iraq to “leave by commercial means when permitted and safe to do so.” Iraq’s government has been deadlocked since al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in October’s parliamentary elections, but not enough to secure a majority government – unleashing months of infighting between different Shiite factions. Al Sadr refused to negotiate with his Iranian-backed Shiite rivals, and his departure on Monday has plunged Iraq into political uncertainty and instability with no clear path forward. We have changed the risk level for the pic.twitter.com/cvvpch05kB —@TravelGoC
Bullets, grenades fly
The violence threatened to deepen the political crisis, although roads in other parts of the country remained largely calm and the country’s vital oil continued to flow. Iran closed its border with Iraq – a sign of Tehran’s concern that chaos could spread. Live television footage showed al-Sadr supporters firing both heavy machine guns and grenades into the heavily fortified Green Belt through a section of demolished concrete walls. Bystanders, seemingly oblivious to the danger, filmed the fight on their cellphones. Members of al-Sadr Peace Brigades fighters gather during clashes with Iraqi security forces near Baghdad’s Green Belt on Tuesday. (Thaier Al-Sudani) As al-Sadr’s forces opened fire, a line of armored tanks stood on the other side of the barriers surrounding the green belt. Thick black smoke at one point billowed over the area, visible from miles away. At least one injured person was carried in a three-wheeled rickshaw, with the Iraqi Foreign Ministry visible in the background. At least 30 people were killed and more than 400 wounded, two Iraqi medical officials said. The toll includes both al-Sadr loyalists killed in protests the previous day and clashes overnight. Those numbers are expected to rise, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information to reporters. Members of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim sect were oppressed when Saddam Hussein ruled the country, but the US-led invasion in 2003 overturned the political order. Just under two-thirds of Iraq is Shia, with one-third Sunni. Now the Shiites are fighting each other, with Iranian-backed Shiites and Iraqi nationalist Shiites fighting for power, influence and state resources. WATCH l Scenes from Monday’s unrest:
Muqtada al-Sadr’s loyalists storm Iraqi cabinet headquarters after cleric resigns
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Monday that he would retire from politics, prompting supporters who had already staged sit-ins to storm the Iraqi government headquarters and even jump into the palace pool. Al-Sadr’s nationalist rhetoric and reformist agenda resonates strongly with his supporters, who largely come from the poorest sections of Iraqi society and were historically excluded from the political system under Saddam. Iranian state television cited unrest and a military-imposed curfew in Iraqi cities as the reason for the border closure. He called on Iranians to avoid any travel to the neighboring country. The decision came as millions of people prepared to visit Iraq for an annual pilgrimage to Shiite sites, and Tehran encouraged Iranian pilgrims already in Iraq to avoid further travel between cities.
Flights, embassy services were cancelled
Kuwait, meanwhile, called on its citizens to leave Iraq. The state-run Kuwait News Agency also encouraged those hoping to travel to Iraq to delay their plans. The tiny Gulf Arab sheikhdom of Kuwait shares a 254km border with Iraq. Armored security vehicles are seen patrolling Baghdad’s Green Belt during clashes with the military wing linked to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images) The Netherlands has evacuated its embassy in the green zone, its foreign minister tweeted early Tuesday. “There is shooting around the embassy in Baghdad. Our staff is now working at the German embassy elsewhere in the city,” wrote Wopke Hoekstra. Dubai’s long-haul carrier Emirates suspended flights to Baghdad on Tuesday due to the ongoing unrest. The carrier said it was “monitoring the situation closely”. He did not say when flights would resume. On Monday, protesters loyal to al-Sadr pulled down concrete barriers outside the government palace with ropes and breached the palace gates. Many rushed into the palace’s opulent salons and marble halls, a key meeting point for Iraqi heads of state and foreign dignitaries. Iraq’s military announced a nationwide curfew and the caretaker prime minister suspended cabinet meetings in response to the violence.
