Iraqi authorities on Monday tightened security in Baghdad, where supporters of Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been occupying the parliament building since last week. in protest against rival alliance backed by Iran.
Captain Ali al Saadi, from the Baghdad Operations Command, told the Spanish agency Efe that they were “reinforced security measures in the “Green Zone” and surroundingswith units of the Army, Police and Intervention Forces, for fear of clashes during the demonstration scheduled for Monday night.
The alliance (Marco da Coordination) of Iraqi Shiite parties made up of pro-Iranian formations, rivals of al-Sadr’s movement, called this Sunday for a protest mobilization against the occupation of Parliament by the cleric’s followers.
The invitation asks for a “peaceful demonstration in defense of the statenext to the “Green Zone”, the fortified area in the center of the Iraqi capital where the Parliament building is located.
“Clashes between al-Sadr supporters and Marco da Coordination protesters are feared,” the Baghdad Operations Command official also said, adding that “security measures” were taken to avoid violent contacts.
Al-Sadr’s supporters have been in Parliament for three days; had already occupied the building for the first time last Wednesday, just hours after the rival alliance announced the legislative session destined to elect the candidate for president.
The Tehran-backed alliance’s legislative move was intended to pave the way for the formation of a new Iraqi executive.
Supporters of the Shiite cleric disagree with the name chosen by the Marco da Coordination alliance: Mohamed Shia al Sudani, former minister, promoted by former Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki – in power between 2006 and 2014 –, al-Sadr’s political rival and Iraq’s Shia population.
Muqtada al-Sadr considered the “protest”(Occupation of Parliament)”spontaneous and peaceful revolutionafter having urged the faithful to continue defending “political, constitutional and electoral reforms”.
The party bloc supported by al-Sadr won the 2021 legislative elections, electing 73 deputies, but the strong divisions of the Lower House, made up of 329 parliamentarians, caused the resignation of the Executive last June during an electoral blockade caused by the pro-Iranian Alliance. .
Source: Observadora
