At least 30 people were killed as supporters of Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr and his Iran-backed opponents traded gunfire overnight on Monday and Tuesday morning in Baghdad, stoking fears that the violence might escalate into a Shia-Shia civil war.
The worst violence in the Iraqi capital in years followed the influential Shia leader’s announcement that he would “withdraw from politics” after months of political deadlock. Analysts have said al-Sadr’s drastic step appeared to be in response to the resignation of Shia spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Kadhim al-Haeri on Sunday. Many of al-Sadr supporters follow al-Haeri.
