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Iraq: Security measures in anticipation of Baghdad demonstrations 

July 30, 2022 at 9:48 am

Supporters of Sadrist Movement holding banners march towards the Green Zone during a protest against the nomination of Mohammed al-Sudani as a new prime minister by Coalition of Shia parties close to Iran on July 27, 2022, in Baghdad, Iraq [Murtadha Al-Sudani/Anadolu Agency]

Iraqi security forces began tightening measures on Friday to protect the Green Zone in the centre of the capital, Baghdad, and the surrounding areas, in anticipation of the increasing calls of the Sadrist Movement to demonstrate on Saturday.

On Wednesday, hundreds of protesters and supporters of the movement’s leader Muqtada Al-Sadr withdrew from the Green Zone after they stormed the parliament building in objection to the Shia Coordination Framework nominating Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to head the next government.

In a statement obtained by Anadolu Agency, the Baghdad Operations Command confirmed that it held an: “Extensive security conference to discuss the security plan for securing protection for the peaceful demonstration expected on Saturday.”

It added that it: “Continues to close the entrances and exits of the Green Zone with concrete barriers, in anticipation of any emergency.”

According to local media and eyewitnesses, the security forces closed five bridges on the Tigris River linking the two sides of Baghdad, Karkh and Rusafa, and tightened security measures inside and around the Green Zone. It also closed the gate leading to the Supreme Judicial Council with concrete blocks.

READ: Iraq president urges protesters to be calm, use reason

Security forces reinforced their presence with additional forces at all entrances to the Green Zone and deployed various troops in the main streets, squares and bridges linking the two sides of Baghdad, according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

Prominent leaders of the Sadrist Movement renewed their call for supporters to mobilise new demonstrations that coincide with an upcoming (unconfirmed) session of the House of Representatives on Saturday.

Supporters of the Sadrist Movement called on the people of central and southern Iraq to come to Baghdad and participate in the demonstrations.

Local media quoted political blocs and MPs saying that the parliament will hold a session to elect the president of the republic on Saturday, to task the parliamentary bloc with the most members to form the government, according to the Constitution.

Hours after storming the parliament, Coordination Framework candidate Al-Sudani announced his commitment to his candidacy and the formation of the government.

In turn, the Shia Coordination Framework on Friday renewed its call for: “The Kurdish forces to hold more serious dialogue in order to reach an agreement on a candidate for the presidency.”

In a statement, Al-Sudani stressed: “The framework confirms its desire for all national forces to be in harmony regarding the completion of the constitutional stipulations prior to the parliament session devoted to electing the president of the republic.”

He added: “The negotiating team formed by the Coordination Framework will start its talks with the political parties and other parties in order to reach internal understandings that contribute to increasing the strength of the next government and make it better able to perform its tasks.”

The negotiating team consists of the Head of the State of Law Coalition Nouri Al-Maliki, the Head of the Fatah Alliance Hadi Al-Amiri, the Head of the Popular Mobilisation Authority Falih Al-Fayyadh, the Head of the National Sanad Gathering Ahmed Al-Asadi and the head of the National Approach Alliance political office Abdul-Sada Al-Fraiji.

READ: Traditional intra-group rivalry impeding new government formation

According to a political custom followed in Iraq since 2006, the Kurds act as the president of the republic, the Sunnis the head of the parliament and the Shias as the head of the government.

Due to differences between the political forces, a new government has not been formed since early parliamentary elections were held on 10 October, 2021.

On 25 July, the Coordination Framework Alliance chose Al-Sudani as a candidate to head the next government, in a new step towards ending the crisis that has been ongoing for more than eight months.

Positions on Al-Sudani’s candidacy were divided between supporters and opponents, as the protest movement and the Shia Sadrist Movement demanded the nomination of a figure who had never held a government position.