in update
Iran closed its borders with Iraq on Tuesday, following violent conflicts following the resignation on Monday of Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of Iraq’s main party, the AP said. The decision comes as millions of Iranians were preparing to visit Iraq for an annual pilgrimage to Shiite sites.
Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announces “definitive withdrawal” from the Iraqi political scene
Clergy Supporters attacked the seat of government Iraqi with at least four rockets, broke down the outer cement barriers and ended up breaking into the palace. Many rushed to halls set aside for receptions by Iraqi heads of state and high-ranking figures from foreign states.
The clashes intensified with the response of the security forces that caused several injuries due to gunshots and tear gas. There is also a record of 30 deadso far, according to a senior medical official quoted by the Associated Press.
The Iraqi Army announced a national curfew and the prime minister suspended cabinet sessions in response to violence.
Al-Sadr had demanded the exclusion from the political scene of all active Iraqi parties since 2003, in order to overcome the current crisis and carry out political reform in the country.
Source: Observadora
