UPDATE – Curfew declared in Iraqi capital as cleric’s supporters storm palace

UPDATES WITH DETAILS; REVISES HEADLINE

By Mahmoud Barakat

ANKARA (AA) – Iraq’s Joint Operations Command declared curfew in the capital Baghdad on Monday as supporters of influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the Republican Palace, where the government is seated.

The move came shortly after al-Sadr announced his total withdrawal from politics amid a months-long political crisis in the country.

The Command said the curfew will begin at 15:30 local time (1230 GMT).

For his part, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi suspended Cabinet sessions until further notice, the state news agency INA reported citing a government statement.

Al-Kadhimi’s media office said the move came after protesters stormed the presidential palace.

On Saturday, al-Sadr called on the country’s political parties to step aside and hold early elections to help solve Iraq’s months-long political crisis.

He also called for eliminating all parties and personalities that participated in the political process since the US occupation in 2003, from the political scene in Iraq.

Intra-Shia disputes have prevented the formation of a new government in Iraq since the last elections on Oct. 10, 2021.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this story from Ankara