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August 2, 2022

Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr Protest in and Around Iraq's Parliament
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In Iraq, hundreds of supporters of the powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada
al-Sadr continue to occupy parliament, protesting efforts led by
al-Sadr's pro-Iran rivals to form a new government. Al-Sadr supporters
have declared an open-ended sit-in at parliament until their demands are
answered. Meanwhile, thousands of al-Sadr opponents held a
counterprotest Monday and were met by police firing water cannons. At
least 125 people have been injured in the unrest. The formation of a new
government has been stalled since parliamentary elections in October,
where al-Sadr's Sadrist Movement won the most seats. 


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