Hundreds of angry protesters loyal to powerful nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed Baghdad’s heavily guarded Green Zone on Wednesday against the appointment of a new prime minister.
Mohammed Shiya al-Sudani was formally appointed to lead the country on Monday by the Coordination Framework, the largest Shi’ite alliance in the Iraqi parliament.
His appointment followed the mass resignation of al-Sadr’s parliamentary bloc, a group of more than 70 lawmakers who withdrew from the governing body last month in an apparent show of force after months of political stalemate.
Iraq has struggled to form a new government since October’s parliamentary elections; Sadr’s own attempts to form a government have already foundered amid opposition from rival blocs.
“If the Sadrist bloc remaining [no parlamento] is an obstacle to the formation of government, so all lawmakers in the bloc are honorably ready to resign from parliament,” Sadr said in a televised speech in June.
Iraqi protesters, after storming the fortified Green Zone, where government buildings are located in Baghdad.
The cleric, who takes a stand against both Iran and the United States, is immensely popular. His bloc’s success in the October vote threatened to sideline the Iran-aligned Shi’ite blocs that have long dominated the oil-rich country’s politics.
On Wednesday, al-Sadr told protesters in the parliament building that their “message” had been received and that they should go home.
“A revolution of reform and rejection of injustice and corruption”. Message from him has been received. You terrorized the corrupt. Pray and return home safely,” he tweeted.
The outgoing government of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi also issued a statement urging Sadrist protesters to “withdraw immediately from the Green Zone”, preserve public and private property and obey the instructions of the security forces.
“Security forces will be committed to protecting state institutions and international missions, and preventing any disruption of security and order,” al-Kadhimi added.
Hamdi Alkhshali wrote from Atlanta; Aqeel Najim reported from Baghdad.
Source: CNN Brasil
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