al-Sadr gave his supporters a deadline of “60 minutes” to leave the Green Zone, threatening to disown them otherwise.
Authorities lifted a curfew and people took to the streets again in Baghdad today, shortly after powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his supporters to withdraw from protest sites after nearly 24 hours of deadly violence.
Sadr’s supporters began to leave en masse, with some carrying their weapons or bags after an angry speech by al-Sadr.
The withdrawal was smooth, although Iraqis thronged the streets as soon as the lifting of the curfew was announced, witnesses told the German News Agency (dpa).
al-Sadr gave his supporters a deadline of “60 minutes” to leave the Green Zone, threatening to disown them otherwise.
“What’s happening in Iraq saddens me,” he added. “I was hoping they would be peaceful protests.”
“I apologize to the Iraqi people,” al-Sadr said.
Crowds of al-Sadr supporters had been gathering since last night outside the Green Zone, where government buildings are located, and throughout the evening there were reports of clashes and shootings.
The clashes had started earlier in the day when security forces used tear gas and gunfire to drive al-Sadr supporters out of the government building, which houses the prime minister’s office, hours after they stormed it. They then gathered outside the Green Belt.
At least 25 people were killed and about 450 injured, according to eyewitnesses, security and medical sources.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Qadhimi welcomed the speech, saying “al-Sadr’s call for an end to violence is the epitome of patriotism and respect for the sanctity of Iraqi blood.”
The United Nations also welcomed the cleric’s appeal and called for restraint and calm.
Yesterday, Monday, scenes of chaos unfolded shortly after al-Sadr announced his retirement from politics amid a 10-month stalemate in the country.
After last October’s parliamentary elections, the political forces failed to agree on candidates for prime minister and president.
Al-Sadr’s coalition secured the largest number of seats, but not the necessary majority to form a government.
Many Iraqis are calling for a change in the political system, including mass protests for reforms as early as 2019.
“Iraqis have been demanding the change of this system for years,” said Iranian analyst Farhad Alaaldin.
“A change or amendment of the Constitution is necessary, but it is not easy,” he added.
Alaaluddin believes that now al-Sadr’s opponents, the Coordination Framework political alliance, must accept some of the demands of Sadr’s supporters in order to find common ground.
al-Sadr calls for early parliamentary elections.
Iran, which had earlier closed its border with Iraq and suspended flights to the country because of the violence, reopened its borders to travelers from Iraq shortly after al-Sadr called on his supporters to leave the streets, state media reported.
“As security and calm have been restored in Iraq, all borders are now open,” state television quoted an Iranian official as saying.
RES-EMP
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