Today, Tuesday, the Iraqi judiciary announced the launch of an investigation into an audio leak attributed to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that escalated tensions between him and Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr to further complicate the tense political situation. scene after early legislative elections.
Although al-Maliki denied that the tapes were his, emphasizing that they were “fabricated,” they created tensions that made it difficult for the country’s new government to form.
The Al-Maliki Party, which is one of the most prominent politicians in Iraq, said in a statement yesterday: “We will not be drawn into a blind fight between the sons of one nation.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Judicial Council said in a statement that the investigating court “received a request submitted to the prosecutor’s office to take legal action regarding the audio leak attributed to Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, and a fundamental investigation is currently underway regarding this in accordance with the law.”
An Iraqi journalist published on his Twitter account five leaked recordings in which the speaker, identified as al-Maliki, attacks Shiite forces, especially the Sadr movement and its leader Muqtada al-Sadr, with whom he had a tense relationship for years.
The voice in the tape speaks of the possibility of internal strife between Shiite forces, describing Al-Sadr as “thirsty for blood” and “money”. The PMF also attacks al-Maliki’s allies as part of the coordination, saying “it’s in Iran’s hands”.
The leader of the Sadrist movement responded to these leaks by calling on al-Maliki to “declare isolation and renounce political activity.” He called “to extinguish the strife by a joint denunciation of the leaders of the blocs allied with him, on the one hand, and the elders of his clan, on the other.”
Speaking of al-Maliki, he added: “After these destructive ideas, he has no right to lead Iraq.”
This tension comes in the context of an ongoing dispute between the Sadrist movement and the coordination structure, of which al-Maliki is the most prominent member, since early parliamentary elections were announced nine months ago. Both sides failed to agree on a formula for bringing the country out of the political impasse and forming a government.
Last June, Al-Sadr decided to recall his 73 MPs from parliament in what was seen as a move to increase pressure on his political opponents. With the departure of the deputies of the Sadrist bloc, the coordination structure received the largest number of seats, but so far the structure has also not been able to agree on the name of its candidate for the post of prime minister.
Hundreds of Sadrist supporters gathered late Monday in cities across the country’s south to protest the taping, especially in Nasiriya, Amar and Kut, according to AFP correspondents.
In Nasiriya, demonstrators held up photographs of Muqtada al-Sadr and his father, according to an AFP correspondent.
Dozens also gathered in Sadr City in eastern Baghdad, an area named after Muhammad al-Sadr, Muqtada’s father, but quickly dispersed, according to a security source.
Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi, a close associate of al-Sadr, called for calm on Twitter, saying: “There is no need for demonstrations about the leaks.”
