UPDATE 3 – Curfew across Iraq as cleric’s supporters storm palace

UPDATES WITH NATIONWIDE CURFEW

By Mahmoud Barakat

ANKARA (AA) – Iraq’s Joint Operations Command on Monday declared a nationwide curfew as supporters of influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the Republican Palace, where the government is seated in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.

The move came hours after al-Sadr announced his total withdrawal from politics amid a months-long political crisis in the country.

The nationwide curfew will come into effect at 19:00 local time (1600 GMT) until further notice, the command said.

The command had earlier imposed curfew in the capital Baghdad at 15:30 local time (1230 GMT).

The move came as Iraqi security forces fired heavily to disperse pro-Sadr protesters from the vicinity of the Republican Palace and took full control of it, according to local media.

For his part, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi suspended Cabinet sessions until further notice, the state news agency INA reported citing a government statement.

Al-Kadhimi’s media office said the suspension came after protesters stormed the palace.
On Saturday, al-Sadr called on the country’s political parties to step aside and hold early elections to help solve Iraq’s months-long political crisis.

He also called for eliminating all parties and personalities that participated in the political process since the US occupation in 2003, from the political scene in Iraq.

Intra-Shia disputes have prevented the formation of a new government in Iraq since the last elections on Oct. 10, 2021.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this story from Ankara