Hundreds of people stormed the building in Baghdad, sparking violent clashes with security forces after Muqtada al-Sadr announced his resignation from Iraqi politics and ordered the closure of his party’s offices. Several protesters were wounded by gunfire and a dozen others were injured by tear gas and physical clashes with police, medical officials said. In response to the unrest, a nationwide curfew was announced at 7 pm and the caretaker prime minister suspended cabinet meetings. The military called on the cleric’s supporters to withdraw immediately from the heavily fortified government zone “to avoid clashes or the shedding of Iraqi blood,” according to a statement. Iraq’s government has been deadlocked since al-Sadr’s party won the largest share of seats in parliamentary elections in October, but not enough to secure a majority government. As a result, the country was thrown into political uncertainty with al-Sadr refusing to negotiate with his Iranian-backed Shiite rivals and pulling out of the talks. Image: Hundreds of protesters attacked the government palace in Baghdad To advance his political interests, Mr. al-Sadr has wrapped his rhetoric in a nationalist and reformist agenda that resonates strongly with his broad base, drawn from the poorest sectors of Iraqi society and historically excluded from political system. They are calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections without the participation of Iran-backed groups, which they hold responsible for the status quo. Mr al-Sadr’s resignation appears to be a reaction to the departure of Shiite spiritual leader Ayatollah Qadim al-Khairi, who is followed by many of the cleric’s supporters. Burning tires, blocked roads and a swimming pool Image: Some protesters took a dip in the pool During Monday’s protests, hundreds of people pulled down concrete barriers outside the government building, breached its defenses, and many of them rushed into the building’s marble halls. Pictures showed dozens of protesters swimming in the palace pool, some holding up a picture of Mr al-Sadr. Protests also broke out in the Shiite-majority southern provinces, with al-Sadr supporters burning tires and blocking roads in the oil-rich Basra province and hundreds protesting outside a local government building in Misan. Image: Several protesters were injured by gunfire Iran sees intra-Shiite disharmony as a threat to its influence in Iraq and has repeatedly tried to broker dialogue with Mr al-Sadr. In July, his supporters stormed the Iraqi parliament to prevent his opponents in the Coordination Framework, an alliance of mainly Iran-aligned Shiite parties, from forming a government. For more than four weeks, hundreds of protesters have staged a sit-in outside the building and Mr al-Sadr’s bloc has resigned. The Panel is led by Mr al-Sadr’s rival, former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. This is not the first time Mr al-Sadr has resigned It is not the first time Mr al-Sadr has announced his retirement from politics – and many have dismissed the latest move as another bluff to gain more leverage over his rivals. But many worry about how it will affect Iraq’s fragile political climate, with Mr al-Sadr’s move giving his followers the green light to act in ways they see fit. Mr. al-Sadr draws his political power from a large popular base, but he also commands a militia and wields a great deal of influence over Iraq’s state institutions through appointments to key civil servant positions. Image: Muqtada al-Sadr Read more: Protesters breach Baghdad parliament to protest Iraq prime minister appointment His Iranian-backed rivals also have militia groups. The UN mission in Iraq described the protests as an “extremely dangerous escalation” and called on protesters to evacuate all government buildings to allow the interim government to continue running the state. He called on everyone to remain peaceful and “refrain from actions that could lead to an unstoppable chain of events.” “The very survival of the state is at stake,” the statement said.
