Clashes erupt after Iraqi cleric resigns, 3 dead

Baghdad, August 29

An influential Shiite cleric announced on Monday he would resign from Iraqi politics, prompting hundreds of his angry followers to storm the government palace and sparking clashes with security forces, in which at least three protesters were killed.

Protesters loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr pulled down the cement barriers outside the palace with ropes and breached its gates. Many rushed to the lavish salons and marbled halls of the palace, a key meeting place for Iraqi heads of state and foreign dignitaries. Iraq’s military announced a nation-wide curfew and the caretaker premier suspended Cabinet sessions in response to the violence. Medical officials said at least 15 protesters were wounded by gunfire and a dozen more were injured by tear gas and physical altercations with riot police. — AP