Reuter. Iraq's powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his followers to end their protests in central Baghdad on Tuesday (August 30) and apologised to Iraqis after 22 people were killed in clashes between rival Shi’ite Muslim groups.
"I had hoped for peaceful protests, with pure hearts, hearts filled with love for their country - not ones that resort to gunfire. This saddens the revolution -- as this revolution now resembles violence and killing, it is no longer a revolution," Sadr said.
In a televised address delivered at 1 p.m. (1000 GMT), Sadr set a one-hour deadline for his supporters to leave their protests in the fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, where they have occupied parliament for weeks.
"If in the next 60 minutes they do not withdraw, including from the sit-in in parliament, then even I will leave the movement.," Sadr said.
His address came a day after the worst violence in the Iraqi capital in years - which follows a 10-month political deadlock since October's parliamentary election - prompted neighbouring Iran to close its border and halt flights to Iraq.
The prolonged political standoff, during which the two camps have competed for power, has given the country its longest run without a government and led to new unrest as Iraq struggles to recover from decades of conflict.
This time the fighting, in which Sadr's supporters faced off against armed groups loyal to Iran, is among the Shi’ite majority that has ruled Iraq since the 2003 U.S. invasion which toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein.
Earlier on Tuesday militants fired rockets at the Green Zone and gunmen cruised in pickup trucks carrying machine guns and brandishing grenade launchers, while residents observed a curfew. Overnight, sustained gun and rocket fire rang out across the city.
Monday's (August 29) violence was prompted by Sadr's announcement that he would withdraw from all political activity - a decision he said was in response to the failure of other Shi'ite leaders and parties to reform a corrupt and decaying governing system.
The Iraqi military declared an open-ended nationwide curfew and urged the protesters to leave the Green Zone, while the United States described the unrest as disturbing and called for dialogue to ease Iraq's political problems.
