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Pro-Iran Camp in Fresh Baghdad Demo after Deadly Clash

Protesters denounce election results and call for a manual recount of the Oct. 10 parliamentary vote outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. (AP)
Protesters denounce election results and call for a manual recount of the Oct. 10 parliamentary vote outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. (AP)
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Pro-Iran Camp in Fresh Baghdad Demo after Deadly Clash

Protesters denounce election results and call for a manual recount of the Oct. 10 parliamentary vote outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. (AP)
Protesters denounce election results and call for a manual recount of the Oct. 10 parliamentary vote outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. (AP)

Hundreds of supporters of pro-Iranian factions staged a fresh demonstration Saturday in the Iraqi capital over last month’s election results, a day after at least one protester was killed in a clash with police.

The demonstrations come while Iraq’s numerous political parties negotiate to form coalitions and name a new prime minister after the October 10 elections.

Preliminary results saw the Conquest (Fatah) Alliance, the political arm of the pro-Iran multi-party Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), suffer a substantial decline in its parliamentary seats.

The group’s supporters have denounced the outcome as “fraud” and Iraqi political analyst Ihsan al-Shamari said the pro-PMF protests are aimed at strengthening its negotiating position during the coalition bargaining process.

In a calm atmosphere a day after deadly tensions, PMF supporters gathered at one of the four entrances to the high-security Green Zone, which is home to government buildings and the US embassy.

“No to America!”, “No to Fraud!” the demonstrators chanted, as security forces stood by in force.

The protesters had brought in tents and sanitary facilities, in a sign of a possible repeat of a sit-in that began on October 19.

Others burned a portrait of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, whom they called a “criminal”.

On Friday there were clashes with police when hundreds of PMF supporters rallied near the Green Zone to vent their fury over the election result.

Demonstrators threw projectiles and blocked access to the Green Zone before they were pushed back by police who fired in the air, a security source said, requesting anonymity.

Another security source said a protester died in hospital of his wounds, while the health ministry reported 125 injuries, most of them from the security forces.

A leader of the Hezbollah Brigades, one of PMF’s most powerful factions, told AFP on Friday that two demonstrators were killed.

On Saturday mourners in the city of Najaf carried two coffins of PMF supporters they said died in the Baghdad clashes.

According to preliminary tallies, the Fatah Alliance won around 15 of the 329 seats in parliament, down from 48 it held previously, which made it the second-largest bloc.

The big winner this time, with more than 70 seats according to the initial count, was the movement of influential cleric Moqtada Sadr.

Final election results are expected within weeks.

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Arab World

Aoun: Rebuilding Lebanon is Not Difficult if Intentions are Sincere

President Joseph Aoun welcoming his visitors at the Baabda Palace (Lebanese Presidency)
President Joseph Aoun welcoming his visitors at the Baabda Palace (Lebanese Presidency)
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Aoun: Rebuilding Lebanon is Not Difficult if Intentions are Sincere

President Joseph Aoun welcoming his visitors at the Baabda Palace (Lebanese Presidency)
President Joseph Aoun welcoming his visitors at the Baabda Palace (Lebanese Presidency)

President Joseph Aoun said the Lebanese “must unite to rebuild the country, a task that is not difficult if intentions are sincere.”
He underscored the importance of forming a government that aligns with the aspirations of the Lebanese people and enables the country to recover, particularly on the economic front.
Aoun pointed out that the swift formation of a government would send a positive signal internationally, demonstrating that Lebanon is on the right track. He reiterated that everyone must rise to the occasion, stating: “Those who cannot bear the responsibility should not hold positions of authority.”
Calling for collective efforts to serve the public good, Aoun remarked that Lebanon’s strength lies in all its citizens, regardless of sectarian affiliations. He stressed the importance of mobilizing the potential of both residents and expatriates to contribute to the nation’s revival.
The president made these statements during a meeting with Catholicos Aram I of the Armenian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan of the Syriac Catholic Church, and Catholicos-Patriarch Raphael Bedros of the Armenian Catholic Church. The three religious leaders visited the presidential palace to congratulate him on his election.
“We are at a crossroads. While we have many opportunities ahead, it is up to us to either seize them or lose them. We must unite to rebuild the country, a task that is not difficult if intentions are sincere. Otherwise, we must bear the consequences of our choices,” the president said.
He continued: “We have received many positive signals and invitations from abroad. In return, we must also send positive messages. God willing, this will culminate in the formation of a government that meets the aspirations of the Lebanese people, functions effectively, and allows the country to recover, especially economically, so it can get back on the right path.”
Aoun concluded: “Lebanon has untapped potential, both at home and within its diaspora, that must be activated to serve the country. This requires an approach based on prioritizing the public interest with transparency and cooperation. This is what the world expects from us, and if we achieve it, they will support us.”