At least 15 dead as fight-fight break out for Iraqi capital

Iraqi security forces for Baghdad

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At least 15 pipo don die for fight-fight wey break out between Iraqi security forces and supporters of one powerful Shia cleric for di capital, Baghdad.

Officials say dozens more don injure afta protesters wey dey loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr storm di presidential palace.

Di violence start afta Oga Sadr announce im retirement from politics.

Im bloc win most seats for parliament last October, but im don refuse to negotiate wit Iran-backed Shia groups to form a government.

E don reach one year now wey political gbege don dey happun for di kontri sake of dis.

Street fighting start overnight, as fighters exchange gunfire and tracer rounds light up di night sky for some of di worst violence to hit di Iraqi capital in recent years.

Much of di fighting dey around di city Green Zone, one area wey house goment buildings and foreign embassies. Dutch embassy staff don dey forced to move to di German mission sake of di clashes.

Security officials say some of di violence na between di Peace Brigades, one militia wey loyal to Oga Sadr, and members of di Iraqi military.

Videos wey don go viral on social media appear to show some fighters dey use heavy weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

Iran don close im borders wit Iraq as di fighting dey happun, and Kuwait don ask im citizens to comot di kontri immediately.

Medics say 15 supporters of Oga Sadr na im dem don shoot dead and  350 oda protesters injure, according to AFP news agency.

One tok-tok pesin of di UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres say im dey shocked by di event and im call for “immediate steps to calm di situation”.

And Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq caretaker prime minister – and Sadr ally – don declare one nationwide curfew afta unrest for many oda cities.

Im don suspend cabinet meetings and don also plead wit di influential cleric to intervene and stop di violence.

For now, Oga Sadr don announce one hunger strike until dem stop di violence and use of weapons by all sides.

Supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr dey protest for Baghdad

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For im statement on Monday, Oga Sadr say: “I don decide not to interfere for political affairs, but I now announce my final retirement and id closure of all [Sadrist] institutions.” Some religious sites wey dey linked to im movement go now remain open.

Oga Sadr, 48, don be dominant figure for Iraqi public and political life for di past two decades. Im Mehdi Army comot as one of di most powerful militias wey fight US and allied Iraqi goment forces for di aftermath of di invasion wey former ruler Saddam Hussein topple.

Im later rebrand am as di Peace Brigades, and e remain one of di biggest militias wey now don form part of di Iraqi armed forces.

Oga Sadr, one of Iraq most recognisable figures wit im black turban, dark eyes and heavy set build, don champion ordinary Iraqis hit by high unemployment, continual power cuts and corruption.

Im be one of a few figures wey fit quickly mobilise hundreds of thousands of supporters on to di streets, and draw dem down again.

Dem don camp hundreds outside parliament since dem storm am twice for July and August for protest for di deadlock.

Once an Iranian ally, Oga Sadr don distance imself from Iraq Shia neighbour and reposition imself as a nationalist want to end US and Iranian influence ontop Iraq internal affairs.