Baghdad: Violent clashes erupted in Baghdad after influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced he would quit politics, killing nearly 20 people. His supporters then stormed a government palace and went to war with rival factions.
The Iraqi capital has seen the worst fighting in years, as night fell on Monday, with machine-gun fire, explosions, and tracer fire engulfing the skies above the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies.
It came a day after unrest following Sadr's announcement that he would end all political activity, a move he claimed was in response to the failure of other Shia leaders and parties to reform the corrupt and failing political system.
Later, Sadar claimed that he was on a hunger strike to protest the use of force by all parties.
Iraq is currently struggling to recover from decades of war, sanctions, civil strife and endemic corruption. A political standoff between Sadr and Shia Muslim rivals, mostly backed by Iran, has sent Iraq into another round of violence.
Since 2003, there has been sectarian conflict in Iraq and more recently, inter-sectarian, inter-ethnic political rivalry.
Security forces and Iran-aligned rival paramilitary forces are with Sadr's supporters, including heavily armed militias in the most recent period of violence.
Tension building, resulting in new violence on Monday, was largely influenced by Sadr's victory in an election in October, his efforts to form a government free of Iranian-backed groups, and his withdrawal from parliament in favor of street protests. Was. and occupied government buildings to block political activities.
Security officials claimed that although Iran-aligned militias were also involved, some conflicts were between fighters of Sadr's Peace Brigade and members of the Iraqi security forces responsible for defending the Green Zone.
Sadar decided to quit politics earlier in the day. "I announce my final return," he posted on Twitter, chasing other Shia political figures for ignoring their calls for reform.
Sadr supporters who have been occupying Parliament House for weeks accused a government building in the Green Zone, once Saddam Hussein's palace, where some jumped into the swimming pool while others waved flags and cheered .
Before the night's armed fighting, youths loyal to Sadr and followers of pro-Iranian militias engaged in brawls and pelted stones at each other near the Green Zone.
According to police and medical personnel, several people were injured, including the death of at least 17 people. Iraq's military issued a nationwide indefinite curfew and ordered protesters to clear the green zone.
Despite being the biggest winner in an election held in October, Sadr withdrew all his MPs from parliament in June, including his rivals, a predominantly Shia party backed by Tehran. Sadr has found widespread support by opposing the influence of both the US and Iran on Iraqi politics.
Early elections and dissolution of the legislature are the demands made by the Sadar. He claims that no politician should have done this since the US invasion in 2003.
Many Iraqis fear that actions taken by each Shia camp could spark a new civil war.
Kadim Haitham, a supporter of Sadr, claimed that "(Loyalists of Iran) came and burnt the Sadrists' tents, and attacked the protesters."
The clashes have been blamed by pro-Iranian organizations for Sadrists, who denied shooting anyone. it is not true; If we had guns why would our men need to throw stones, argued one militia, asking not to be named.
In the past, Sadar distanced himself from politics and government and disbanded his militia. However, he still exercises considerable influence over state institutions and is in charge of a paramilitary organization with thousands of members.
Similar announcements on his part have often been followed by a return to political activity, but the current impasse appears more difficult to break than previous failures and has resulted in Iraq's longest period without a functioning government.
In July, the irregular cleric's followers first invaded the Green Zone. They have been in control of parliament since preventing the election of a new president and prime minister.
After protesters stormed government buildings, Sadr's aide and caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi postponed cabinet meetings until further notice and publicly urged Sadr to try and stop the violence.
Since the Islamic State's defeat in 2017, Iraq, OPEC's second largest producer, has been struggling to recover as political parties battle for control of the country's vast oil wealth.
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