Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 1 February 2020
Iraqi cleric condemns use of force, 11 protesters wounded

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA until Saturday to name a
and SAMYA KULLAB candidate or he would do
Associated Press so himself.
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's Analysts and Iraqi officials
most powerful religious fig- said al-Sadr's about-face
ure, Grand Ayatollah Ali al- was designed to ensure
Sistani, reiterated Friday his political elites selected his
condemnation of the use choice of candidate as the
of force against anti-gov- clock ticks on Saleh's dead-
ernment protesters as the line.
mass movement enters a "He is reasserting his popu-
critical juncture and politi- list credentials and his po-
cal blocs tussle over nam- sition in the protest move-
ing a new premier. ment," said Fanar Haddad,
Separately, at least four senior research fellow at
rockets landed around an the Middle East Institute,
airbase hosting U.S. troops National University of Singa-
in northern Iraq without pore. "He wants to rally his
any casualties, Iraqi military base, mend some recently
officials said. The officials damaged fences and raise
spoke on condition of ano- the pressure on his political
nymity because they was rivals as the stalemate over
not authorized to speak to A police officer carries a pellet air rifle during clashes with anti-government protesters in Baghdad, government formation
media. Iraq, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. continues."
Meanwhile, an influential Associated Press Al-Sadr's departure last
and radical cleric Muqta- curity and medical officials. his followers from the street tions. week had created clear
da al-Sadr called for his The officials spoke on con- last week. Al-Sadr's pullout Dozens of his followers soon divisions between his fol-
followers to return to the dition of anonymity in line was followed by a secu- streamed into the Tahrir lowers and other anti-gov-
street, one week after he with regulations. rity crackdown on protest square carrying blankets ernment protesters in the
withdrew support for anti- The area has become a camps. Tents were burned and furniture and re-erect- square.
government demonstrators flash point in the recent and at least four protesters ing tents, activists and se- "All those who are already
camped out in Baghdad's escalation staged by dem- were killed in Baghdad and curity officials said. Officials in protest squares are your
Tahrir Square. The move onstrators to refocus public Iraq's south. spoke on condition of ano- brothers," al-Sadr's state-
comes one day before attention on the demands In an apparent reversal of nymity in line with regula- ment said. "Never be di-
a deadline set by Iraq's of the four-month protest position, al-Sadr issued a tions. vided in slogans, sayings or
president to select the next movement after a U.S. air- statement calling on his A statement from the deeds."
prime minister runs out. strike that killed a top Ira- followers to "renew" the Baghdad Operations Com- At least four rockets struck
Al-Sistani's comments nian general in Baghdad demonstrations and return mand said security forces Qayara air base in Nineveh
came as unrest continued monopolized Iraqi politics. to the street, amid dead- "charged with protecting province which hosts U.S.
in Baghdad's Khilani and Protesters had called for 1 lock over the naming of a protesters" in Khilani Square troops, but caused no ca-
Wathba squares, where million Iraqis to take to the new prime minister. He said had been attacked by a sualties, Iraqi army officials
at least 11 demonstrators streets Friday to revitalize large demonstrations were hand grenade, leading to said. The officials spoke on
were wounded Friday by demonstrations and pres- necessary to pressure po- four injured. condition of anonymity be-
security forces firing tear sure the government to litical elites to form a new "Our forces continue to ex- cause they was not autho-
gas canisters to disperse implement a reform agen- "non-controversial" govern- ercise the highest levels of rized to speak to media.
crowds, according to se- da after al-Sadr withdrew ment and hold early elec- restraint despite these re- A statement from Iraq's mili-
peated attacks on them," tary said five rockets had
Dutch government plans to the statement said. landed in the vicinity of the
base.
Al-Sadr is the head of po-
ban some forms of fireworks litical bloc Saeroon, which It is the latest attack to tar-
won the most seats in Iraq's get American interest since
2018 federal election but mortars struck the Ameri-
THE HAGUE, Netherlands Year's Eve. "The ban is Eye doctors regularly not enough to secure a can embassy last Sunday,
(AP) — The Dutch gov- necessary because the report serious injuries commanding majority in wounding one. Tensions
ernment plans to ban the most recent year's end caused by fireworks Iraq's parliament. Outgo- soared after the U.S. strike
sale of most fireworks in a again did not go well," around New Year's Eve. ing prime minister Adil Ab- that killed top Iranian gen-
bid to rein in injuries and the government said in a Opposition has grown in dul-Mahdi, who resigned eral Qassem Soleimani on
attacks on emergency statement explaining its recent years to the tradi- in December under pres- Iraqi soil.
service workers during un- decision. "There was an tion and some cities al- sure from protesters, came Tehran retaliated for the
ruly New Year's Eve cel- unacceptable level of ready have introduced to power under a political killing by launching a bar-
ebrations, Prime Minister injury and incidents and firework-free zones on agreement struck between rage of missiles on on two
Mark Rutte said Friday. the number of incidents New Year's Eve. People Saeroon and rival bloc Fa- Iraqi military bases hosting
The ban, which must be of violence against po- will still be allowed to buy tah, headed by Hadi al- American troops.
approved by parliament, lice hasn't been so high in small decorative pyro- Ameri. Al-Sistani reaffirmed his
would cover firecrack- five years." technics. However, some For two months, negotia- condemnation of the use
ers and rockets, which Dutch customers spend people already visit oth- tions between the divided of violence against dem-
have in recent years millions of euros on fire- er countries to buy and factions have been dead- onstrators in his weekly ser-
been thrown or fired at works in the days leading smuggle back into the locked and al-Sadr has rou- mon, delivered in the holy
police, ambulance staff up to end of year cel- Netherlands more power- tinely drawn on his ability to city of Karbala through a
and firefighters respond- ebrations and then set ful firecrackers than the mobilize his followers as le- representative. Al-Sistani's
ing to incidents on New them off in the streets. ones sold here.q verage. President Barham opinion holds sway over
Saleh has given the parties many Iraqis and elites. q