Abadi Calls for Delay of Protests Until After the Liberation of Fallujah

Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Iraq, called on Thursday, June 6, to postpone protests in Baghdad until the completion of the operation to liberate the city of Fallujah from the control of Islamic State militants. These remarks come as the liberation operation enters its fourth day. In recent months, Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, and several other cities have witnessed protests demanding reforms and the establishment of a technocratic government free from political parties. Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadrist movement in Iraq, is among those who have called for protests, with his supporters marching around key areas in Baghdad and other cities. Last week, protesting demonstrators stormed the Green Zone in Baghdad, where important government buildings are located. Clashes between protesters and security forces resulted in at least two deaths and 90 injuries. Protesters accuse security forces of using force against them. According to AFP, al-Abadi, in a meeting with security and military commanders at the Fallujah operations command, which included Salim al-Jabouri, the Speaker of Parliament, and Abdul Latif al-Hamim, the head of the Sunni Endowment in Iraq, stated: 'We ask our youth to postpone their protests until the liberation of Fallujah, as our forces are engaged in a difficult battle. Protests are their right, but they put additional pressure on our forces, which are responsible for ensuring the security of the demonstrators. The enemy is not a classic enemy, and vigilance is required, as terrorism exploits every opportunity.' In recent weeks, Shiite areas of Baghdad have witnessed a series of bloody bombings that have left around 200 dead and hundreds injured. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for these explosions. The Iraqi Prime Minister added: 'Before the start of the Fallujah operation, we began planning to restore security and stability to this city and to rebuild it. In this endeavor, we spare no effort and do not differentiate between Iraqis. Today, we witness the unity of citizens around their forces from the army, police, Hashd al-Shaabi, and tribal volunteers to defend Iraqis.' Al-Abadi also called for the unity of Iraqis and urged them to ignore those who 'seek to promote sectarianism and misleading media,' which, according to al-Abadi, aim to 'rescue ISIS.' It seems that al-Abadi's remarks refer to the extensive participation of Shiite militias known as 'Hashd al-Shaabi' in the Fallujah liberation operation, which is a Sunni city. Recently, there has been significant criticism regarding the involvement of such a large number of Shiite militias in the operation from some media outlets. Critics accuse Shiite militias of 'sectarian revenge' against Sunnis and claim that these militias have taken revenge on residents in other areas such as Tikrit, a claim that 'Hashd al-Shaabi' commanders deny. On the other hand, Salim al-Jabouri, the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, praised Haider al-Abadi for his 'brave action' in initiating the Fallujah liberation operation, considering it a cause for the unity of various Iraqi factions. Al-Jabouri, who is a Sunni figure in Iraq, stated: 'The world is watching the Fallujah liberation operation. This operation is against those who tried to separate Fallujah from Iraq and give it a terrorist face, not against the people of the city who are free from terrorism, people who will stand alongside the armed forces, police, and Hashd al-Shaabi volunteers and tribes.'