Sadrists storm Iraq's parliament / Alannah Travers

Sadrists storm Iraq's parliament

Published on 28th July 2022

Some images and a Baghdad rooftop report for TRT World, on yesterday's chaotic events in the green zone... Until about 30 mins before we went live I had been inside the stormed parliament (mainly trying to hide from rowdy men), but security forces finally cracked down and we were forced to leave the building along with hundreds of Sadrist supporters.

The demonstrations against the nomination of Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani to lead Iraq's next government began relatively gently from the square across Jumariyah bridge towards the green zone, as Sadrists voiced their objection increasingly boldly to the man seen as far too close to former PM and key Coordination Framework player, Nouri al-Maliki. By the time we got to the other side of the zone's entrance, on the other side of the bridge, a gap in the wall had been made, and a trickle and then stream of Muqtada al-Sadr supporters began to flow in… we followed.

Outside the parliament, former dep speaker Hakem al-Zamili spoke to a crowd of supporters while it was stormed by braver (and then frankly, most) protesters in a show of defiance. Sadr may have ordered the withdrawal of his 73 MPs… but this was certainly a demonstration of strength, despite tweeting later that night that those inside should leave. Security forces didn't seem to mind their presence. Ironically, yesterday Iraq marked its longest post-election deadlock since the introduction of its 2005 constitution. Simmering tensions and gridlock are set to continue for a good while to come...