Despite the curfew that was announced, Baghdad has also remained unsettled in the evenings. Gunfire was again reported. Tensions flared between rival Shia groups on Monday after supporters of the influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the government palace in the Iraqi capital’s fenced-off green zone in protest. That was in response to the news that their leader is leaving politics. On Monday evening, Muqtada al-Sadr announced a hunger strike. The staff of the Dutch embassy resides in the German embassy for security reasons.
The result was disturbances and clashes with Islamic opponents, who have ties to Iran, and with security forces in the secured area where many government institutions and embassies are located and where the parliament building is also located. Doctors reported Monday evening that 12 of Sadr’s followers were killed and 270 other protesters were injured. This ranged from gunshot wounds to inhaling tear gas.
Sadr (48) announced earlier in the day via Twitter that he had now finally given up on politics. His party won an election last year, but has still not been able to agree on a new head of government and president. Meanwhile, Iraq is suffering from a severe economic crisis, high inflation and corruption.
The United Nations Mission for Iraq (Unami) called the developments an “extremely dangerous escalation”. She called on all parties involved to refrain from taking actions that could lead to an unstoppable series of undesirable events. “The very survival of the nation is even at stake.”
Hunger strike
The powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr announced on Twitter Monday evening via his party chief Hassan al-Athari that he is going on a hunger strike to restore peace in Iraq. According to the state news agency INA, Sadr plans not to eat or drink until the violence and the use of weapons in the country cease. “No matter what happens, the corrupt community gives no one a justification for the use of force.”
According to security forces, at least seven mortar shells fell late in the evening in the green zone of the capital where many government buildings and embassies are located. There was also regular shooting with automatic weapons.
Evacuation of Dutch embassy personnel
For the sake of their safety, the staff of the Dutch embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad temporarily works and stays in the German embassy elsewhere in the city. This is reported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The security situation in the country has deteriorated further and travel advice has been tightened due to the political unrest.
The Dutch embassy is located in the middle of the International Zone. “It is very restless there at the moment; gunfights take place around the compound. The German embassy is far outside this area. As soon as it is safe to do so, the employees will return to the Dutch embassy,” the ministry said.
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