Calm returned to Iraqi streets on Wednesday, with the Green Zone breathing a sigh of relief after concrete barriers were removed from its surroundings, allowing for all traffic to pass without exception.
A day earlier, bloody clashes had swept the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Comprehensive conflict had erupted between followers of the Sadrist Movement and the Coordination Framework.
Baghdad’s Republic Bridge and Suspension Bridge witnessed the return of normal movement, which facilitated the crossing between the two sides of the Iraqi capital.
During the clashes, Sadrists assumed control of the Republic Bridge while the Coordination Framework followers overran the Suspension Bridge.
Taking note of the ongoing dispute between Sadrist Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr and Coordination Framework leaders, observers described the calm that has returned to the capital as “anxious.”
Coordination Framework leaders, except for Hadi al-Amiri and Haider al-Abadi, did not confront Sadr’s decision to stop the violence with support. Instead, the group released a controversial statement that claims victory over the Sadrist Movement.
For his part, Sadr moved from exclusively accusing armed factions of insolence to casting the accusation against the entirety of the Coordination Framework and the government it intends to form.
At a time when the Iraqi President Barham Salih urged the Coordination Framework to communicate with Sadr, to prepare for early elections, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi threatened to vacate his position as prime minister.
The situation remains open to all possibilities, and attention is turning to what will be issued by the Federal Supreme Court regarding the requests to dissolve the Parliament.
The court had decided to postpone consideration of the case to dissolve Parliament until Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Federal Supreme Court had postponed hearing the case for dissolving Parliament against the background of a general curfew and disruption of state institutions.
