Iraqi Protests Escalate, Enter Third Week
As anti-Maliki protests in Iraq enter their third week, the demonstrations are increasing in size, and all sides are urging calm and restraint, writes Ali Abel Sadah.
Protests among Iraq’s Sunnis entered into their third week and have only increased in size. They also reached two important Sunni Mosques in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad for the first time. In response, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki tried to mobilize his supporters to take to the streets, but these attempts were in vain.
On Jan. 11 after Friday prayers, thousands in Ramadi, Mosul and Tikrit took to the streets in demonstrations titled Jum’a al-Ribaat, which roughly translates to “Binding Friday,” decrying Maliki and his policies for deliberately marginalizing Sunnis.
