Tensions Persist between Sadrists, Dawa Supporters in Iraq 

A supporter of Moqtada al-Sadr raises a picture of the cleric, as others demonstrate inside the courtyard of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after they breached the building briefly over the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, on June 29, 2023. (AFP)
A supporter of Moqtada al-Sadr raises a picture of the cleric, as others demonstrate inside the courtyard of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after they breached the building briefly over the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, on June 29, 2023. (AFP)
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Tensions Persist between Sadrists, Dawa Supporters in Iraq 

A supporter of Moqtada al-Sadr raises a picture of the cleric, as others demonstrate inside the courtyard of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after they breached the building briefly over the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, on June 29, 2023. (AFP)
A supporter of Moqtada al-Sadr raises a picture of the cleric, as others demonstrate inside the courtyard of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after they breached the building briefly over the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, on June 29, 2023. (AFP)

Tensions persisted between Iraq’s Sadrist movement, headed by influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, and the Dawa party, headed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, in spite of their efforts to calm the situation.

The tensions had erupted when a supporter of the Dawa had made offensive remarks against Sadr’s late father, prominent Shiite cleric Mohammed Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, who was assassinated in 1999. The former Iraqi regime is blamed for his killing.

The Dawa party condemned the offense and the Sadrist movement welcomed the statement, thanking members of the party, except for its leader, Maliki.

The Dawa had also called for drafting a law that would criminalize insults to major clerics, especially late Shiite authorities Mohammed Baqer al-Sadr, who was executed by the former regime in 1980, and Sadr’s father.

Relations are already strained between the Dawa and Sadrists in wake of the clashes that erupted in Baghdad’s Green Zone in August 2022. The clashes pitted Sadr supporters against the Coordination Framework and left over 60 dead and hundreds wounded.

In spite of the statements from both parties, tensions persisted on the ground, sparked by attacks against positions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Najaf city and other areas and against two Dawa party headquarters.

The attacks were blamed “unknown gunmen”, a term used in Iraq to refer to a “third party”, which is often accused of carrying out such attacks to avoid an open confrontation between the Dawa and Sadrists.

Moqtada al-Sadr visited on Monday the buildings that were damaged in the attack.

“Sadr’s Minister”, Saleh Mohammed al-Iraqi, tweeted that Sadr “rejects violence and the use of arms by any party.”

Meanwhile, a prominent member of the Sadrist movement, Hassan al-Athari accused the Dawa of insulting the memory of Mohammed Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr for alleging that he had ties with Saddam Hussein’s former regime.

The Dawa issued a statement to refute Athari’s remarks. It clarified that media claiming to be affiliated with the Dawa were making such statements. It stressed that the party was not linked to these websites and media.

Furthermore, such claims aim at “sowing strife between brothers”.

“All of our platforms and media are committed to journalistic standards and publishing laws. The party would never insult anyone or publish anything that would fuel hostility,” it stated.



Human Rights Watch Says Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Vessels Amount to War Crimes 

Houthi supporters hold up weapons during a protest against the US and Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi supporters hold up weapons during a protest against the US and Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
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Human Rights Watch Says Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Vessels Amount to War Crimes 

Houthi supporters hold up weapons during a protest against the US and Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi supporters hold up weapons during a protest against the US and Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)

The Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemen attacked two ships, the Magic Seas and the Eternity C, on July 6 and 9, killing some of their crew and detaining others, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Wednesday.

The militants have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group’s leadership has described as an effort to end Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

HRW, however, said the Houthis’ attacks on the two vessels “violates the laws of war applicable to the armed conflict between the Houthis and Israel.”

“The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians,” said Niku Jafarnia, HRW’s Yemen and Bahrain researcher.

Jafarnia called for the Houthis to end all attacks on ships that don’t take part in the Israeli-Hamas war and immediately release detained crew members.