Four people were killed and 19 injured during clashes in Baghdad that erupted after Iraq's Shiite religious leader Moqtada al-Sadr announced today that he was retiring from politics and closing his offices in response to an intractable political stalemate.
It was Al-Sadr's decision that sparked clashes between his supporters and supporters backed by Iran, Reuters reported.
Those loyal to Al-Sadr took to the streets and chanted slogans in support of the religious leader.
Journalists from Baghdad reported that gunfire could be heard in the center of the Iraqi capital. As Reuters writes, the source of the shooting was not immediately clear, but it is assumed that some shots were heard after the police fired bullets into the air.
The Iraqi army declared a curfew from 15.30:XNUMX p.m., and called on the demonstrators to leave the place where they had gathered.
Al-Sadr, who gained wide support by opposing both American and Iranian influence on Iraqi politics, was the biggest winner in October's election, but decided to withdraw all of his MPs from parliament in June after failing to form a government that excluded its rivals, mostly those backed by Tehran.
He retired from politics in the past, but often returned to political activities. However, it makes the current political impasse in Iraq more difficult to resolve than in previous periods of dysfunction, Reuters concludes.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
