Calls for urgent parliamentary session over Basra unrest
▶ Leaders of Iran, Turkey and Russia to debate government offensive on rebel-held Idlib as more than 1,000 evacuate homes in the line of fire
Moqtada Al Sadr on Thursday called for an urgent session of Iraq’s parliament to discuss the situation in Basra, after protests in the southern city turned violent.
A curfew was planned for 3pm local time in an attempt to quell the demonstrations, but it was lifted minutes before it was due to start. An Interior Ministry spokesman cited “intelligence reports of possible attacks on government offices” as the reason behind the intended curfew.
The violent clashes followed a call for calm on Wednesday by the UN envoy to Iraq.
Jan Kubis also urged the authorities “to avoid using disproportionate, lethal force against the demonstrators” and asked the government to “investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the outbreak of violence [while also doing] its utmost to respond to the people’s rightful demands for clean water and electricity supplies”.
Nine civilians have been killed since the start of the month in clashes between residents and security forces.
On Wednesday, demonstrators – angry at power failures, water contamination and a lack of jobs and proper government services – took to the streets again. One person was killed and 25 injured, some seriously, as Iraqi security forces opened fire on protesters.
Mr Al Sadr, a Shiite cleric whose allies took the most seats but not a majority in May elections, said Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi and other officials should either attend the session or resign. Iraq’s feuding factions have yet to form a new government.
The session, he said, should be held no later than Sunday. Officials in Baghdad have been squabbling over the formation of the next government.
On Wednesday an Agence France-Presse journalist reported that gunshots and tear gas were fired by security personnel directly at demonstrators, who had gathered in their thousands outside the regional government headquarters.
Hundreds of civilians fled an anticipated Syrian government offensive in Idlib on Thursday, as international powers prepared for last-minute talks aimed at avoiding bloodshed.
More than 1,000 people left villages in the province’s southeast for the countryside of western Aleppo and the city of Afrin, a local source said.
The province has been heavily bombarded in recent days by Russian warplanes and Syrian artillery, leading to speculation that an offensive to recapture the last rebel holdout in the country is coming.
Russia, Turkey and Iran will meet on Friday in what observers described as the last chance to avoid what could become one of the bloodiest battles of the civil war.
The United Nations said a large-scale offensive would cause a “humanitarian catastrophe” for Idlib’s nearly three million residents, while doctors in the region said they were short on supplies and would be overwhelmed.
Turkey has a significant military presence in Idlib and supports some of the rebel groups that oppose President Bashar Al Assad. But about two thirds of the province are controlled by the extremist Hayat Tahrir Al Sham umbrella group, a former affiliate of Al Qaeda that Russia and Syria have vowed to eliminate.
Talks between the three presidents are likely to focus on the group’s presence. Russia struck a defiant tone on Thursday ahead of the summit, saying it would continue to target terrorists.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “We have killed, we are killing and we will kill terrorists ... whether that be in Aleppo, Idlib or other parts of Syria.
“Peace must return to Syria. This is a question of our security.”
Turkey is keen to find a solution that would not threaten its influence in northern Syria and prevent the mass displacement of people towards its southern borders.
Speaking on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “In a situation like this, where will the fleeing people go to? A large proportion of them will come to Turkey.”
Ankara has echoed US officials in urging a limited, counter-terrorist approach to Idlib, rather than a full-scale attack. But Syria and Russia have repeatedly said they would launch an offensive if Hayat Tahrir Al Sham is not dealt with.
Analysts anticipate a phased operation that will target western Idlib, which lies within reach of Russian bases on the coast, and which will secure the M5 motorway that runs through the province.
Amnesty International said much depended on the outcome of Friday’s summit in Tehran.
Amnesty’s Samah Hadid said: “The lives of millions of people in Idlib are now in the hands of Russia, Turkey and Iran – the three countries with the most influence over the parties involved in the conflict in Idlib.
“As this crucial summit convenes, they have the power to ensure civilians are protected from the relentless, unlawful attacks that have characterised much of this brutal conflict,” she said.
If an attack is launched, the displacement of about 180 families closer to Turkey overnight on Wednesday could be a small sign of things to come.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, the families fled shelling and air strikes, which killed 13 civilians.
The UN said about 700,000 people could be displaced in the first stages of an assault, with many more following if the fighting intensifies .
The United States and other western countries are worried chemical weapons may be used by Damascus, as in the past.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the offensive “cannot be a slaughter”.
“If it is a slaughter the world is going to get very, very angry and the United States is going to get very angry too,” he said.
France’s top military official echoed that warning on Thursday. Chief of the Defence Staff Francois Lecointre said: “We are ready to strike if chemical weapons are used again.
“[Strikes] can be carried out at national level but it’s in our interest to do it with as many partners as possible.”