Human rights watch released a report documenting the crackdown which included burning down tents, firing live ammunition at crowds, and an arrest campaign across baghdad, basra, and dhi qar. Mahdi army commanders withdraw to iran to lie low during security. Nov 29, 2019 iraq crackdown kills nearly 40 after iran mission torched thursdays violence brought the total death toll since early october to more than 390, with more than 15,000 wounded, according to an afp. On january 5, 2011 alsadr returned from iran, to najaf, having spent four years out of the country after vowing never. Al sadr has been supportive of the government of iraqi prime minister. A number of commanders had also gone to najaf and the southern provinces, he added. Security forces burned down protest tents after sadr withdrew his support and ordered his followers to leave the protests. Jan 28, 2020 sadrs move led to attacks upon sitins in baghdad, basra, najaf, nasiriya and karbala. Jan 14, 2020 iraqi shiite cleric muqtada alsadr, najaf, iraq, january 9, 2020. That raised concern over al sadr s ability to direct his militia, which could fragment into uncontrollable. Sadr and his iranbacked allies in the government to end the protests in baghdad.
Sadr allies with iranbacked coalition to form government in iraq. An iraqi government official said alsadr was in the shiite holy city of najaf tuesday night, when he received delegates from several government departments. Muqtada alsadrs supporters accused of massacres in iraqs. Iraqi shia leader sistani moves to break irans grip over. Iraqi protests swell despite clash with sadrist supporters. His father died in 1937, leaving the family destitute. Alsadrs deal with iran proxies proves iraqi elections were. Top iranian commander qasem soleimani has held several meetings in baghdad and najaf to convince political factions to close ranks around. Sadr, a notoriously versatile figure, is currently in iran. Feb 15, 2007 an iraqi government official said alsadr was in the shiite holy city of najaf on tuesday night, when he received delegates from several government departments. Us says muqtada alsadr hiding in iran the jerusalem post. Muqtada alsadr, iraqs most volatile cleric, stakes his claim to power. Baghdad, iraq on a recent morning, at the foot of a towering building known as.
The move, announced by alsadr and hadi alamiri of the fatah coalition in the revered southern shiite city of najaf, came as a surprise as. The streets of sadr city and other eastern baghdad neighbourhoods have so far. Firebrand iraqi leader moqtada al sadr called on tuesday jan 14 for a peaceful millionstrong march against us troops in iraq, days after parliament urged their departure following. At the same time, sunni rebels in the cities of baghdad, samarra, ramadi, and, most notably, fallujah, staged.
Iran condemned the burning of its consulate in the holy city of najaf as. Muqtada al sadr is a young, fiercely antiamerican messianic cleric and the head of the mahdi army, an armed militia that has waged an intermittent insurgency against u. Hundreds protest in baghdad and the south to reject nominee as iran offers support to new prime minister. Security forces shot four protesters dead in baghdad and wounded 22 when. Feb 03, 2020 all iraqis, especially the younger generation, have become aware of iran and sadrs mutual goals to end these protests by any means. More than 40 iraqi protesters dead in 24 hours in bloody crackdown. Jan 25, 2020 sadr was a volatile force, once a leader of antius protests after 2003, he had been to iran before in exile and had been threatened by proiranian groups in the past. Sadramiri alliance lowers iraqs political temperature reuters. Muqtada alsadrs supporters accused of massacres in iraqs south.
Sadder and sadr muqtada alsadr, iraqs most volatile cleric. Influential shiite cleric muqtada alsadr called on iraqs government to. Drone hits iraq clerics home as tensions rise after. Radical antiamerican cleric muqtada alsadr returns to iraq. Jun, 2018 sadramiri alliance lowers iraqs political temperature. Iraqi protests swell despite clash with sadrist supporters almonitor. Alsadr drove in a long motorcade from najaf to its sister city of. Iraq crackdown kills 40 over iran mission torching. Under the surge plan developed in late 2006, baghdad was to be. A crackdown on the protesters who remained appeared imminent.
Iraqs shiite cleric sadr calls for mass protests against u. Dozens of iraqi protesters killed in crackdown after iranian consulate. In an unexpected move, the sairoon alliance led by muqtada al sadr formed a coalition with the proiranian fatah alliance, getting them close to a majority needed to form a new government. Iraqi students rally against pmdesignate mohammed allawi. Death toll in najaf rises as sadrs militias attack.
Sadr betrays iraqs protests and tries to hijack them with. He is the leader of the sadrist movement and the leader of the peace companies, a shia militia that is a reformation of the previous militia he led during the american military presence in iraq, the mahdi army. Populist cleric moqtada al sadr has turned against the iraqi uprising, withdrawing protection to demonstrators and strengthening a government crackdown to crush. He was a child prodigy who, at 10, was delivering lectures on islamic history. Supporters of iraqi shiite cleric moqtada al sadr gather during a protest calling for neutrality during the ongoing tensions between neighbouring iran and the usa, in baghdad, iraq may 24, 2019.
One pro sadr satellite channel showed footage of mr sadr that it said was taken in najaf three days ago. Director of najaf s health department ali alawadi said at least seven people were killed and 25 were wounded in the southern iraqi city on wednesday, after sadrs supporters opened fire on. Iraqi shia cleric and leader muqtada alsadr in najaf, on june 23. Feb 14, 2007 iraq launches baghdad security crackdown. Moqtada al sadr turns against iraqs uprising the national. Iraq crackdown kills protesters after iran mission torched 28 november 2019 12. Jan 05, 2011 i can confirm that sheikh moqtada alsadr is in najaf, sheikh hazem alareji, from the clerics najaf office, said.
Mar 30, 2007 the cleric reportedly fled to predominantly shiite iran about the time u. Iraq crackdown kills 40 over iran mission torching deccan. There were additional assaults upon the protest squares in najaf and karbala not included in the report. Who is cracking down on iraqs antigovernment protesters. Sadr returns to iraqs protests after betraying them for iran. Dozens of iraqi protesters killed in crackdown after iranian consulate torched. Those meetings, sources told afp, brought firebrand cleric moqtada sadr back into the fold after he called on abdel mahdi to resign. On the day the iraqi government formally launched its crackdown on. And when influential cleric muqtada alsadr withdrew his support, even more protesters turned out despite fears of a crackdown by security forces. Death tolls keeps on rising in iraq due to the cruelty and terrorism of iranianbacked militias, activist rand musawi said. While iran was once suspicious of relying on alsadrs volatile nature, his recent. In baghdad, trucks of armed men briefly blocked a main road near tahrir early on saturday, firing their weapons and shouting, witnesses. Demonstrators in baghdad, basra, najaf, and nasiriya were attacked first on january 25, leading to one death in the capital.
Hours after the najaf incident, protesters in baghdads tahrir square. The siege of sadr city was a blockade of the shia district of northeastern baghdad carried out by u. With the new us offensive in baghdad still in its early days, us commanders have focused operations in the eastern part of the city, a predominantly shiite area that has long been the. Iraqs protesthit cities saw one of their bloodiest days yet on thursday as a government crackdown killed nearly 40 demonstrators following the dramatic torching of an iranian consulate. Director of najaf s health department ali alawadi said at least seven people were killed and 25 were wounded in the southern iraqi city on wednesday, after sadr s supporters opened fire on. Feb 18, 2007 iran s foreign ministry spokesman denied sunday that muqtada al sadr, the radical iraqi shiite cleric who opposes the u.
Moqtada alsadr returns to iraq after exile world news. In 1945, the family moved to the holy city of najaf, where al sadr would spend the rest of his life. In aboutface, iraqs muqtada alsadr moves closer to iran. Iraq crackdown kills nearly 40 after iran mission torched. Muhammad baqir al sadr was born in alkazimiya, iraq to the prominent sadr family, which originated from jabal amel in lebanon. Aug 10, 2007 powerful iraqi shiite cleric moqtada al sadr is in iran and not in complete control of the militia that owe allegiance to him, the u. Feb 01, 2007 officials linked to muqtada alsadr denied wednesday that the radical shiite cleric had fled to iran ahead of a security crackdown in baghdad. Jun 14, 2018 sadr allies with iran backed coalition to form government in iraq. Operation imposing law, also known as operation law and order arabic. Mahdi army commanders withdraw to iran to lie low during security crackdown. Reuters baghdad, firebrand iraqi leader muqtada sadr called tuesday for a millionstrong march against the presence of us troops in iraq, days after parliament voted for their departure following washingtons killing of an iranian general in a baghdad drone. Sadrs decision came a day after tens of thousands of his supporters crowded baghdads jadriya neighborhood jan. This is just a rumour sent around to confuse people.
Jun, 2018 baghdad ap iraqi shiite cleric muqtada alsadr, whose coalition won the largest number of seats in last months parliamentary elections, has announced an alliance with an iranbacked coalition ahead of marathon negotiations to form a new government. Sadr heads a political movement and a militia that fought u. An important power broker in iraqi politics, he has had onandoff ties with iran that appear. Feb 14, 2007 mahdi army commanders withdraw to iran to lie low during security crackdown. Iraqs sadr calls for antius protests amid new rocket attack. Confusion, violence in iraq as alsadr pulls support for protests.
After a fivehour meeting in alsadrs house in najaf on june 12, the two leaders announced their deal in a surprise press conference after midnight. Mahdi army chiefs lie low in iran to avoid crackdown, says. One prosadr satellite channel showed footage of mr sadr that it said was taken in najaf three days ago. Afp while casual observers of iraq were filled with hope that mays elections would lead to change and usher in a new era of the curtailment of foreign meddling particularly iranian those hopes have been dashed a little more than a month later. Iraqs alsadr joins forces with iranbacked coalition. Shiite cleric muqtada alsadr speaks in najaf, iraq, april 30, 2016. Alsadr went underground reportedly in iran at the start of the u.
Apr 11, 2008 the office of muqtada al sadr accused iraqi and u. An activist reported an increase in fatalities as a result of a crackdown by iraqi clerics miltias, also known as blue hats, against protesters, especially in najaf. Tensions between najaf and iran over the pmfs peaked last october when soleimani, muhandis and other senior pma commanders were directly involved in a brutal crackdown targeting antigovernment. Muqtada alsadr is an iraqi shia cleric, politician and militia leader. Nov 28, 2019 top iranian commander qasem soleimani has held several meetings in baghdad and najaf to convince political factions to close ranks around abdel mahdi. Shia fighters to return once sunnis are pacified sadr strategy is to retain. Mahdi army commanders withdraw to iran to lie low during. Muqtada alsadrs supporters accused of massacres in. Jan 28, 2020 mek iran sources report that clashes between protesters and iranian regimebacked militias took place in baghdad, nasiriyah, basrah, najaf, babylon, samawah, diwaniyah, karbala, kut, diyala, alamarah, and qana.
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