Two dead, 19 injured in Baghdad clashes – media

Washington has denied that its embassy within the Iraqi capital was evacuated amid the chaos
Two individuals have been killed and 19 injured in clashes between safety forces and supporters of influential Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr close to the Republican Palace in Baghdad on Monday, Sky Information Arabia has reported, citing Iraqi medical sources. The US State Division denied reviews that its embassy had been evacuated.
The deaths happened “within the center” of the fortified Inexperienced Zone, the place the palace and US embassy are located, the medical sources instructed Sky Information Arabia. Earlier, tons of of protesters had pulled down concrete obstacles and stormed the palace. This got here after al-Sadr introduced his resignation from politics following months of failed makes an attempt to type a authorities within the face of opposition from rival, Iran-allied Shia factions.
Shortly earlier than information of the casualties broke, the information company AFP reported that gunshots might be heard echoing over the Inexperienced Zone. This gunfire could be heard in video footage from the scene.
Stay ammunition getting used.
Unconfirmed reviews of accidents. #Iraq #Baghdad pic.twitter.com/LUNpZT8TRW— Tammuz Intel (@Tammuz_Intel) August 29, 2022
#BREAKING Gunfire heard in #Baghdad throughout clashes between Sadr supporters and Iran-backed militias supporters pic.twitter.com/F5OYHFGz63
— Man Elster (@guyelster) August 29, 2022
The Iraqi army responded to the breaching of the palace by declaring a citywide curfew, as army reinforcements have been hurried in to cope with the crowds of al-Sadr loyalists flooding into the Inexperienced Zone. Water cannons have been used to repel the demonstrators, and working battles between safety officers and protesters have been reported.
Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq’s caretaker prime minister and an ally of al-Sadr, referred to as on the crowds to withdraw from the realm. Sky Information Arabia reported that among the demonstrators started to depart the Inexperienced Zone shortly afterwards, earlier than making an attempt to enter once more.
As soon as the nerve heart of the US occupation, the Inexperienced Zone nonetheless homes a number of international embassies and worldwide organizations, and the headquarters of successive post-invasion Iraqi governments have been based mostly there.
With the zone descending into chaos, video footage captured a helicopter taking off from the roof of what seemed to be the US embassy – a scene paying homage to the chaotic American withdrawal from Kabul final August. A number of unconfirmed reviews advised that employees have been being evacuated from the embassy, though the State Division instructed Fox Information that these reviews have been “false.”
The US embassy workers have been evacuated from the #Green_Zone by the helicopter.#Baghdad, #Iraq pic.twitter.com/HLZerzb0ja
— خالد اسكيف (@khalediskef) August 29, 2022
In a press release launched on Monday night, the US’ diplomatic mission in Iraq mentioned it’s “involved about escalating tensions and urges all events to stay peaceable.”
Infighting between al-Sadr’s political bloc and the Coordination Framework Alliance – a Shia bloc allied with Iran – prevented the cleric from forming a authorities after successful 73 seats within the 329-seat Iraqi legislature final yr. Al-Sadr, a vocal critic of international affect in Iraq, sought to exclude the Coordination Framework from a possible authorities, prompting the latter to aim to type a authorities of its personal.
Al-Sadr’s supporters have occupied the Iraqi parliament since late July to stop such an final result, and the cleric has referred to as for the dissolution of parliament and recent elections.
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