Iraq's prime minister has sacked the commander of special forces
in Baghdad's Green Zone after protesters breached the fortified area
over the past week, a military statement said late on Wednesday.
The
removal of Staff Lieutenant General Mohammed Ridha is being seen as an
indication of tightening security as authorities plan on taking a harder
line against planned protesters over the weekend.
Iraqi analyst Taif Jany told Al Arabiya English that angry protesters, most of them supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr,
broke into the Green Zone and stormed parliament on Saturday in an
unprecedented security breach after years of frustration with the
political elite.
“The fortifications
reinforce a literal barrier between Parliament and the people. Not only
is the government's business conducted without our input, but we are
also cut off by razor wire, guards, and enormous concrete fences,” Jany,
Program Manager at Education for Peace in Iraq Center, told Al Arabiya
English.
Iraqi premier Haider al-Abadi
issued commander Ridha’s relief order and replaced him with Maj. Gen.
Karim Aboud al-Tamimi, according to a statement from Iraq's Joint
Operations Command.
Warning signs
Ridha was seen kissing Sadr's hand when
he entered the heavily fortified Green Zone in late March during a
sit-in organized by the cleric, who has demanded the government carry
out reforms.
Demonstrators are expected to protest on
Friday and may attempt to re-enter the Green Zone, which is home to
Iraq's main government institutions as well as various embassies,
including those of the United States and Britain.
Angry protesters broke into the area after lawmakers again failed to approve new ministers proposed by Abadi.
Abadi
has called for the current cabinet of party-affiliated ministers to be
replaced by a government of technocrats. But his efforts have been
opposed by powerful political parties that rely on control of ministries
for patronage and funds.
Jany, the Iraqi
analyst, told Al Arabiya English that the green zone has become a point
of contention and the next couple of days are likely to see more
protesters returning to the area.
“The
Green Zone contains the homes of Members of Parliament and high-ranking
officials and this represents a significant class difference which begs
the question: how can you represent us if you don't live among us?,” he
asked.
(With AFP)
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