Iraq crisis escalates as rival demonstrations called near Baghdad's Green Zone

Iraq's political crisis could enter a new phase of inter-Shia escalation as rival protests have been called in the capital Baghdad with security forces placed on maximum alert as Iran-backed Shia groups called for a wide demonstration against the sit-in at the Iraqi parliament led by loyalists of powerful Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr.  

Sadr on Sunday had urged other factions to join his supporters who stormed Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and took over the parliament building on Saturday in a dispute over which faction should name the next prime minister. 

The Coordination Framework (CF), an umbrella parliamentary bloc including all Iran-backed Shia factions, last Monday formally nominated Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani- an Iraqi politician close to Iraqi ex-PM Nouri al-Maliki- to be the new Iraqi prime minister. Sadr loyalists refused the step and accused al-Sudani of corruption.  

Today’s demonstration by the supporters of the Coordination Framework began to mobilize near the Hanging Bridge in downtown Baghdad, at 5 PM Iraqi local time, Iraqi state media reported. 

Local Iraqi outlets reported that riot police have established a security barrier to stop demonstrators from entering the Green Zone and clashing with Sadr’s supporters. 

Salih Mohmmed al-Iraqi, a controversial personality on Twitter thought to be close to Sadr, on Monday afternoon called for wide demonstrations in all Iraqi provinces, except for the holy Shia Muslim city of Najaf, today at 5 PM Iraqi local time.  

مظاهرات المحافظات.. نريده رفعة راس🕔

— وزير القائد - صالح محمد العراقي (@salih_m_iraqi) August 1, 2022

“The current situation is moving towards escalation, but not towards the collapse of the political process," Ahmed Mahmoud, CEO at the Iraqi Media House, an independent Iraqi institution, told The New Arab by phone.

"I expect both sides- Sadr and the Coordination Framework-will work towards escalation to get the most political gains, but eventually they will reach an agreement, though I will not rule out casualties falling among supporters of both rivalling sides,” he added. 

Iraqi security forces have been put on high alert, amid rumours swirling of a 'coup' being prepared to seize Prime Minister Moustafa al-Kadhimi by pro-Iran groups. The rumours were denied by an Iraqi official speaking on condition of anonymity, who called them 'fake news'.

“All those allegations that talk about coups in Iraq are fake news, since supporters of Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Fatih Alliance, a key faction within the Coordination Framework will not participate in today’s demonstration," the source said.

Al-Amiri early today called on Sadr to start negotiations and resolve the dispute peacefully.  

Sadr's ally Salih Mohmmed al-Iraqi responded in a tweet and said that if they accept talks with the Coordination Framework, al-Amiri should leave his bloc and condemn the recent leaked recordings of al-Maliki, provide guarantees that the results of the talks will be implemented. 

pic.twitter.com/jFohGSXoPA

— وزير القائد - صالح محمد العراقي (@salih_m_iraqi) August 1, 2022

Al-Kadhimi on July 30 in a statement called on all the Iraqi political sides to resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue.  

Nearly 10 months after elections, the oil-rich country is still without a new government due to the repeated failure of negotiations and the en masse resignation last month of Sadr's bloc – the largest in parliament.