12 dead in Baghdad after Sadr loyalists storm palace
Twelve protesters were killed on Monday after supporters of cleric Moqtada Sadr stormed the government palace in Baghdad's Green Zone as the powerful Shiite leader said he was quitting politics. Shots were fired in the fortified area which houses government buildings as well as diplomatic missions as tensions soared amid an escalating political crisis that has left Iraq without a new government, prime minister or president for months. Medics said 12 Sadr supporters had been shot dead and 270 other protesters were hurt – some with bullet wounds and others suffering tear gas inhalation. Witnesses said earlier that Sadr loyalists and supporters of a rival Shiite bloc, the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, had exchanged fire. The Framework condemned an "attack on state institutions", urging the Sadrists to engage in "dialogue". The army announced a nationwide curfew from 7:00 pm (11pm in Hong Kong), as security forces patrolled the capital. Caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi ordered an investigation into the casualties, adding that "security or military forces, or armed men" were prohibited from opening fire on protesters. "Our security forces are responsible for protecting protesters. Any violation in this regard will be subject to legal accountability," his office tweeted, adding that he urged people to abide by the curfew. Calling the developments "an extremely dangerous escalation", the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) urged "all" sides to "refrain from acts that could lead to an unstoppable chain of events". "The very survival of the state is at stake," it warned. The United States also urged calm amid the "disturbing" reports of unrest in Baghdad. Protests spread to other parts of the country, with Sadr followers storming government buildings in the cities of Nasiriyah and Hillah south of Baghdad, according to witnesses. (AFP)