UN CHIEF APPEALS FOR RESTRAINT IN IRAQ AS AL SADR QUITS POLITICS

In an appeal for calm and restraint in Iraq after Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced he was quitting politics on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges all “relevant actors” to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and avoid any violence. 

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson of the Secretary-General, in the statement, said that the UN chief strongly urges all parties and actors to rise above their differences. “The Secretary-General has been following with concern the ongoing protests in Iraq today, during which demonstrators entered government buildings. He is particularly concerned about reports of casualties. “He appeals for calm and restraint, and urges all relevant actors to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and avoid any violence,” the statement read. 

“The Secretary-General strongly urges all parties and actors to rise above their differences and to engage, without further delay, in a peaceful and inclusive dialogue on a constructive way forward,” it further stated. 

Chaos erupted in Iraq’s capital Baghdad soon after an Iraqi Shi’ite cleric announced he was quitting politics on Monday with thousands of his followers storming Iraq’s presidential palace, resulting in the deaths of two people.  Nineteen people were injured during the clashes between al-Sadr supporters and security forces in Baghdad’s Green Zone, and several of them were hit by tear gas and stun grenades as they stormed the government palace in Baghdad, according to Russia Today. The Shi’ite cleric announced his resignation from politics on Monday, following which military reinforcements were sent to the presidential palace as the followers of Al Sadr tore down cement barriers outside the government building in support of the cleric.  An immediate curfew was put in place right after as palace security was unable to control the mass of demonstrators.  Earlier in July, numerous Iraqi demonstrators, mostly supporters of Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr, stormed the heavily fortified parliament building in Baghdad to protest against the nomination for prime minister by rival Iran-backed parties. The protesters were opposing the candidacy of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for the post of Prime Minister, as they believed him to be too close to Iran.  Notably, Al-Sadr’s bloc won 73 seats in Iraq’s October 2021 election, making it the largest faction in the 329-seat parliament; but, ever since the vote, talks to form a new government have stalled, and Al-Sadr stepped down from the political process.Article 3/8