125 hurt as cleric’s followers again storm Iraq parliament
BAGHDAD — Thousands of followers of an influential Shiite cleric stormed into Iraq’s parliament Saturday, for the second time in the week, protesting government formation efforts led by his rivals, an alliance of Iran-backed groups.
The alliance showed signs of internal division, with some calling for counterprotests — a development that would raise the specter of civil strife — while others later urged dialogue.
Iraqi security forces initially used tear gas and stun grenades to try to repel the demonstrators, who are followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Once inside, the protesters declared an openended sit-in and claimed they would not disperse until their demands were answered.
As the numbers of protesters swelled, the police backed off.
An expected parliament session did not take place and no lawmakers were in the hall. The Ministry of
Health said 125 people were injured in the violence — 100 protesters and 25 members of the security forces.
Parliament Speaker Mohammed Halbousi suspended future sessions until further notice.
The development showed al-Sadr was using his large grassroots following as a pressure tactic against his rivals, after his party was not able to form a government despite having won the largest number of seats in the federal elections held last October.
With neither side appearing willing to concede, and al-Sadr intent on derailing government formation efforts led by his rivals, Iraq’s limbo and political paralysis have ushered in a new era of instability in the beleaguered country.
Now, 10 months since the last elections, the political vacuum is shaping up to be the longest since the U.S.-led 2003 invasion to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein reset the country’s political order.
Al-Sadr’s rivals in the Coordination Framework — an alliance of Shiite parties backed by Iran and led by former Prime Minister
Nouri al-Maliki — showed signs of internal divisions later Saturday.
At first, the alliance called for “peaceful” counterprotests to defend the state, raising fears of possible street clashes and inter-ethnic violence.
Later, Hadi al-Amiri, also an alliance leader, issued a statement inviting our “dear brother” al-Sadr to “a serious dialogue” to find a way out of the impasse.
Al-Maliki appeared to pivot also, and issued a statement saying the day’s tumultuous events had prompted him to call for dialogue with al-Sadr.
Al-Maliki is al-Sadr’s chief rival and both men are powerful in their own right.
The United Nations expressed its concern of further instability and called on Iraqi leaders to de-escalate.
It was the second time in four days that al-Sadr ordered his followers to take their cause inside the Green Zone.
On Wednesday, after protesters stormed the parliament in a similar fashion, they left shortly after getting inside, at al-Sadr’s command.