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Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi called for calm after supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the parliament headquarters for the second time in 3 days.
The demonstrators announced an “open sit-in” inside the building, in protest against the nomination of Muhammad Shia’a al-Sudani for the post of prime minister.
More than 120 people were injured during demonstrations in the streets of Baghdad on Saturday.
Demonstrators, waving Iraqi flags and pictures of Al-Sadr, gathered at Al-Jumhuriya Bridge leading to the heavily fortified “Green Zone” in Baghdad, which includes government buildings and embassies.
Dozens of them removed the concrete barriers protecting the area and ran into the parliament.
photo released, Archyde.com
Security forces preempted Saturday’s demonstrations by blocking roads in Baghdad leading to the Green Zone with huge concrete blocks.
There were reports that security forces used water and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowds.
The Ministry of Health announced that at least 125 people were injured, including 25 security men.
“avoid escalation”
The Iraqi prime minister instructed the security forces to “protect the demonstrators.”
Al-Kazemi also called on the demonstrators to “maintain their peaceful movement, avoid escalation, and abide by the directives of the security services aimed at protecting them and protecting official institutions.”
The tension dates back to October, when al-Sadr’s bloc won 73 seats in the elections, making it the largest faction in the 329-seat parliament.
But talks to form a new government have stalled for months. Last month, deputies from the Sadr bloc resigned.
photo released, THAIER AL-SUDANI
64 new deputies were sworn in later in June, making the “Coordination Framework” coalition, which includes a number of Shiite forces and parties, the largest in parliament.
Last week, the “Coordination Framework” announced the selection of Muhammad Shia’a al-Sudani, who some consider close to former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, for the position of prime minister.
Al-Sadr’s supporters oppose Al-Sudani’s candidacy.
Crowds of Sadr’s supporters stormed the Green Zone last Wednesday, despite the tear gas used by the police.
The demonstrators occupied the parliament building and started singing, dancing and taking pictures of themselves. They left later after al-Sadr invited them to do so.
The political blockage in the country has disrupted many of the measures that Iraq needs.
The paralysis left the country without a budget for 2022, which led to the suspension of spending on much-needed infrastructure projects and the implementation of economic reforms.
photo released, Archyde.com
Iraqis say the situation is exacerbating the lack of services and jobs even as the oil-rich country gets record oil income due to high crude prices.
Mustafa Al-Kazemi’s government is running the country’s affairs until a new government is formed.
Al-Kazemi took office in 2019, in the wake of mass demonstrations protesting the difficult conditions and corruption, and led to the resignation of his predecessor, Adel Abdul-Mahdi.