Clashes In South Fueled By Political Dispute Over New Iraqi Govt

(Reuters)

Sadr has lost almost all of his political influence over forming the next government in Iraq. He overplayed his hand when he withdrew his parliamentarians and now only has the street and violence to turn to. That has led to a number of clashes, protests and assassinations in southern Iraq between Sadr’s followers and his rivals in the Coordination Framework.

 

On October 4 there was a protest outside the government building in Nasiriya, Dhi Qar. People burned tires in the streets and set fire to the outside of the complex. At first, this seemed like the work of activists who have restarted their protests against the political system. Al Aalem interviewed demonstrators however who said they went to investigate the incident and saw no one they knew. They told the paper that there were 200 people at the government center who had guns and swords with them making them out to be members of some armed group either Sadrists or a Hashd faction from the Coordination Framework.

 

That same day Sadrists fired rockets and shot at the Hashd headquarters inside the presidential palace in Basra city. Two were killed and ten were wounded during the fighting. Middle East Eye reported that there have been almost daily clashes between Sadr’s followers and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq which is part of the Framework in Basra recently. Al Mada added that these confrontations are mixed up with clan conflicts and competition over economic resources like oil smuggling and border crossings. Basra contains most of Iraq’s wealth with various oil and natural gas fields and has always been a point of contention between Shiite parties since 2003.

 

A few days later there was an assassination attempt upon a parliamentarian from the Framework in Basra.

 

These incidents will likely continue for the foreseeable future as Iraq’s elite are no closer to forming a government one year after elections. First, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are no closer to picking a president. The PUK has held the position since the first post-Saddam elections in 2005 but the KDP wants it now as the dominant party in Kurdistan. The PUK has not budged and talks have been deadlocked ever since. As a result, the new State Administration Alliance which is supposed to include the Framework and Sadr’s former allies has not been announced yet. Finally, Sadr is refusing all talks. With little movement for so long tempers are rising, patience is wearing thin and the result is violence.

 

SOURCES

 

Al Aalem, “Against the rhythm of shelling and friction .. Parliament convenes and the Sadrist current threatens subsequent action,” 9/29/22

- “Burning and clashes .. What is the truth about the escalation in the south?” 10/5/22

 

Buratha News, “Security sources: 12 were killed or wounded by the terrorist gangs that attacked the presidential palaces,” 10/4/22

 

Al Mada, “The Coordination Framework fails to determine the session for selecting the President of the Republic and refuses public dialogue,” 10/6/22

- “A Framework delegation has been waiting for days in Al-Hanana and refuses to sign onto the State Administration Coalition,” 10/8/22

- “The second page of the clashes in the south and? is rushing the session to choose the president of the republic,” 10/5/22

 

Al-Salhy, Suadad, “Iraq: Sadrists attack rival factions in Basra to choke off their funds,” Middle East Eye, 10/4/22

 

Al Sumaria, “Dhi Qar .. Protests and fires erupt near the governorate building,” 10/4/22