BAGHDAD // Iraqi forces killed at least two protesters while defending Baghdad’s Green Zone, officials said on Saturday, as the troubled country’s leaders warned against further escalation.
The two supporters of Muqtada Al Sadr were the first casualties of the months-old protest movement started by the influential cleric to push for political change.
They were buried on Saturday in the holy city of Najaf, which is home to the world’s largest cemetery where millions of people from Iraq’s Shiite majority are buried.
“The victims were buried ... in Wadi Al Salam cemetery,” said Sheikh Imad Al Kaabi, an official in the Sadr movement.
During the funeral, a relative of one of the deceased accused the state of using excessive force, saying the protesters faced “live and rubber bullets and tear gas”.
Friday saw the worst eruption of violence since Mr Al Sadr, the scion of an influential clerical family from Najaf, ordered his followers to take to the streets to demand reforms.
His supporters confronted the security forces and broke into the Green Zone, a sprawling fortified district in central Baghdad that hosts most of the country’s top institutions.
A small group managed to storm prime minister Haider Al Abadi’s office. They quickly pulled out.
The protesters faced a barrage of tear gas and generally stiffer resistance than three weeks earlier, when they broke into the Green Zone for the first time and stormed parliament.
Security and medical officials also said at least 57 people were wounded in Friday’s unrest. Security forces also used water cannon and sound bombs against the protesters, some of whom threw rocks and other debris.
Security forces also fired live rounds during the demonstration, mostly into the air, but officials said at least two protesters had died of bullet wounds.
Mr Al Abadi reacted to the latest breach by saying that “storming state institutions ... cannot be accepted”, but added that he supported the “demands of the peaceful protesters”.
Mr Al Sadr vowed on Friday that peaceful protests would continue, warning that “the revolution will take another form” if there were attempts to block them.
Mr Al Abadi has made several attempts to push through reforms aimed at curbing corruption and spending since he took the country’s top job in 2014.
His latest plan was to replace the current government of party-affiliated ministers with a cabinet of technocrats.
But he has faced resistance from key players, including within his own party, who are reluctant to give up a system of patronage that is the very source of their power.
Mr Al Sadr ostensibly supports Mr Al Abadi’s reform but every security breach in the Green Zone has made the premier look weaker and infuriated rival Shiite groups.
Parliament has failed to reconvene since protesters stormed it late last month. A session had been slated for this coming Thursday but Friday’s fresh breach raises questions over where to hold it.
That leaves Mr Al Abadi with few options, with tensions growing between Shiite armed groups even as Iraqi forces prepare for their most daunting military operations so far against ISIL.
“Restoring calm is key for Iraq to be able to move forward in finding a political solution based on inclusive consultations,” said Jan Kubis, the UN’s special envoy to Iraq.
But Kimberley Kagan, who heads the Institute for the Study of War, argued that the political crisis had deepened too much for all sides to agree on a face-saving solution.
“This conflict will protract and there will be winners and losers,” she said.
A two-hour curfew was slapped on Baghdad on Friday as riots wound up near the Green Zone, amid reports that Mr Al Sadr’s armed organisation and militia groups were on the brink of a dangerous confrontation.
* Agence France-Presse
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
Disturbing%20facts%20and%20figures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E51%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20in%20the%20UAE%20feel%20like%20they%20are%20failing%20within%20the%20first%20year%20of%20parenthood%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E57%25%20vs%2043%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20is%20the%20number%20of%20mothers%20versus%20the%20number%20of%20fathers%20who%20feel%20they%E2%80%99re%20failing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E28%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20believe%20social%20media%20adds%20to%20the%20pressure%20they%20feel%20to%20be%20perfect%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E55%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20cannot%20relate%20to%20parenting%20images%20on%20social%20media%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E67%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20wish%20there%20were%20more%20honest%20representations%20of%20parenting%20on%20social%20media%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E53%25%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20of%20parents%20admit%20they%20put%20on%20a%20brave%20face%20rather%20than%20being%20honest%20due%20to%20fear%20of%20judgment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2014px%3B%22%3ESource%3A%20YouGov%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m
7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now