Thousands of Sadr supporters stormed Baghdad’s so-called Green Zone last weekend and occupied the empty parliament building
The Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr called today for the dissolution of the Iraqi parliament and the holding of early elections, in a televised message. He urged his supporters to continue the “peaceful” occupation of parliament in Baghdad until their demands are satisfied.
Thousands of Sadr supporters invaded the so-called last weekend Baghdad Green Belt and occupied the empty parliament building, staging a sit-in protest that continues to this day.
Moqtada al-Sadr’s movement had won the largest number of seats in parliament in last October’s elections, but failed to form a government by excluding his Iran-backed rivals. He then withdrew his MPs and applied pressure through mobilisations, drawing strength from the Shiite working class where he has great influence.
In his televised message, Moqtada al-Sadr reiterated that he was ready to become a “martyr” for his cause, implying that his life was under threat.
The political stalemate has left Iraq without an elected government for nearly 10 months.
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