Tensions rise as Sadrists attack rival party offices

Tensions are rising amid uncertainty over whether Muqtada Al-Sadr will attempt to disrupt the elections. With less than two weeks to go before voters take to the polls, a spate of attacks on rival party offices suggests that an escalation in violence over the coming days is a real possibility.

Offices belonging to Nouri Al-Maliki’s Dawa Party in Najaf and Basra were attacked this week. This was followed on Wednesday by an attack on Ammar Al-Hakim’s Hikma Movement office in Sadr City.

In both instances, although no group officially claimed responsibility, it was clear that supporters of Muqtada Al-Sadr were behind the attacks. In July, Sadrists attacked Dawa Party offices in the southern provinces after a State of Law politician was attributed to have insulted Sadr. Both Dawa and Hikma issued statements condemning this week’s attacks, calling on the government to protect their offices, and insisting that no amount of pressure would derail the elections.

Although Sadr has not openly called on his supporters to attack rival parties, the rhetoric on Sadrist Telegram channels has been escalatory over the past couple of weeks, and any form of mobilization on the streets would likely enjoy tacit approval from Sadr himself. Sadr has explicitly told his loyalists not to vote in the provincial council elections.