Iraq On The Boil l 30 Killed In Violence, President Palace Stormed As Muqtada Sadr Quits Politics

At least 30 people were killed after deadly clashes rocked Baghdad over popular Shia leader Al-Sadr’s retirement from politics. Reports say that 700 people were wounded, including 110 members of the security forces. Sadr’s supporters, who had been staging a weeks-long sit-in at parliament in Baghdad, stormed into the presidential palace. Violence erupted after Sadr’s supporters clashed with Iraqi security forces in an attempt to enter the palace. Iraq’s state news agency reported that Al-Sadr announced a hunger strike until the violence and use of weapons stops. The UN has issued a statement saying that “the very survival of the Iraqi State is at stake”. Iraqi political leader Moqtada al-Sadr is Iraq’s most influential Shia leader, with millions of followers. Analysts describe the turmoil kindled by Sadr as one of the most potentially destabilising developments in the last two decades. #Iraq #BaghdadViolence #Iraqprotests #Iraqviolence #AlSadr #WorldNews 0:00 - INFLUENTIAL CLERIC MUQTADA AL-SADR R