PHOTOS: Iraqis protest against ‘US meddling’ in government formation

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Dozens of people gathered in the Iraqi capital’s Tahrir Square to protest what they called “United States meddling” in the formation of the new Iraqi government, claiming the US envoy in the country is attempting to prevent parties close to Iran from taking power.

On Wednesday, dozens of people, believed to be affiliated with the Iran-backed Shia political parties, gathered at Baghdad’s Tahrir Square to condemn America’s interference in Iraq’s internal affairs, particularly that of Brett McGurk, the US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to counter the Islamic State.

McGurk has already met with top figures from various Iraqi coalitions and parties to discuss the political climate in the country as well as the formation of the new government.

Among them are incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, State of Law leader Nouri al-Maliki, Sunni factions, and leaders from the Kurdistan Region, including former President and head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masoud Barzani.

During Wednesday’s protests, people raised anti-US and anti-McGurk slogans, condemning the Presidential Envoy’s intervention in forming the new Iraqi government.

The protest comes one day after the leader of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, Qais al-Khazali, vowed his group would not remain silent on the US’ intervention in the process of the government formation.

Meanwhile, Hadi al-Amiri, Head of Hashd al-Shaabi’s al-Fatih Coalition, previously claimed no good would come from the future government if it were formed through foreign intervention.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany