Iraq announces curfew across all provinces

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Joint Operations Command on Monday announced a complete curfew across all Iraqi provinces, after followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed government buildings in different provinces.

The curfew is set to start at 7pm on Monday in all Iraqi provinces, Iraqi state media reported.

The decision of a complete curfew came after Iraqi security forces announced a curfew in the capital, Baghdad, earlier in the day.

Shortly after Sadr fueled the war-torn country with uncertainty by announcing his retirement from politics on Monday, thousands of the cleric’s supporters stormed into the fortified Green Zone, and large numbers of security forces were deployed across the capital to contain the protests.

Footage circulating on social media also showed protesters gathering in Basra, Dhi Qar, and Maysan provinces.

Iraqi President Barham Salih called on protestors to prevent escalation.

“Disrupting state institutions is a dangerous matter that puts the country and citizens’ interests in grave danger,” Salih said.

Video footages circulating on social media showed security forces trying to disperse protestors using teargas and live ammunitions into the sky.

At least two people were killed and 19 others were injured during the protests in Baghdad, Reuters reported. 

“We will not return, we will not return until we succeed,” one angry protestor told Rudaw’s Halkawt Aziz.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi urged Sadr to call on protestors to withdraw from government institutions in a statement after suspending cabinet sessions. A meeting is underway between Kadhimi and Iraqi security officials at the Joint Operations Command office. 

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) urged maximum restraint and called on protestors to leave the Green Zone and governmental building.

Sadr announced his “definitive retirement” from politics and the closure of affiliated institutions in response to the political deadlock that continues to suffocate Iraq over 10 months after October’s elections.

“I had decided to not interfere in political affairs and I now announce my definitive retirement and the closure of all institutions,” Sadr said in a statement, adding that the holy shrine, the holy museum, and Sadr’s heritage authority would be the only places left open.

Sadr’s resignation came a day ahead of the deadline he had given to Iraqi political parties, saying he would sign an agreement only with people that have not been a part of the government since 2003.

The Shiite cleric has previously made such withdrawal announcements but returned to politics shortly after making them.

Iraq held snap parliamentary elections in October but disagreements prevented political parties from electing a president and a prime minister for the country.

The Sadrist Movement was the kingmaker of the vote, gaining the largest number of seats. However, Sadr withdrew his lawmakers from the parliament in June after he failed to form a government and threatened to exclude his rival Iran-backed Coordination Framework from it.

The situation escalated in late July after Sadr supporters held protests and stormed the Iraqi parliament.

Sadr and his supporters insist on holding another snap vote and the dissolution of parliament.

The Coordination Framework called the Sadrist Movement in a statement late Monday to "return to the dialogue table to reach common understandings that lay down a clear road map that adopts the law and the constitution to achieve the interests of this great people."

 

Updated at 8:36pm