Thousands of al-Sadr supporters resume their sit-in inside parliament in Baghdad’s Green Zone as counter-demonstrations take place nearby.
Rival demonstrations by competing Shia Muslim groups affiliated with heavily armed militias brought thousands to the streets of Iraq’s capital as tension soars over the failure to form a government after months of deadlock.
Iraqi security forces were on high alert in Baghdad on Monday. Iraq’s longest post-election deadlock, at nearly 10 months with no government after an October vote, has led to unrest including protests by supporters of the powerful cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who are occupying parliament in an open-ended sit-in.
Al-Sadr’s opponents include a grouping of parties and militias mostly aligned with Iran, known as the Shia Coordination Framework, that called for counter-protests near parliament, saying they were aimed at protecting state institutions against the civil unrest of the Sadrists.
The Iraqi parliament sits in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone – also home to government buildings and embassies – which al-Sadr supporters stormed with ease twice last week as security forces stood back.
The Coordination Framework’s demonstrations took place near the Green Zone’s entrance.
Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from inside the Green Zone, said pro-al-Sadr demonstrators are “very much keeping their momentum”.
“They say they’re here to stay as long as they’re needed,” Jabbari said. “They say they want a complete overhaul of the system, a new constitution.”
Protesters chanted, “No one can beat the Sayed” – referring to Muqtada al-Sadr.
All Iraqis should support these demonstrators and come out in Baghdad, al-Sadr said on Twitter on Sunday.
“But the latest we hear from his media office is people should stay in their provinces until further notice,” Jabbari reported.
A commander of a pro-Iran militia said he feared clashes and hoped calm heads would prevail.