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| Qassem Suleimani: tears mix with vows of vengeance at Iran general's funeral march | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Mourners weep and beat chests as coffins of those killed in US drone strike pass through Baghdad’s streets | Mourners weep and beat chests as coffins of those killed in US drone strike pass through Baghdad’s streets |
| In a wide street shaded by tall eucalyptus trees, thousands of mourners thronged around pick-up trucks and ambulances carrying the coffins of the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, his close Iraqi associate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and others who were killed in an American drone strike. | In a wide street shaded by tall eucalyptus trees, thousands of mourners thronged around pick-up trucks and ambulances carrying the coffins of the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, his close Iraqi associate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and others who were killed in an American drone strike. |
| Some of the mourners wore black shirts and suits, others donned the military fatigues of their militias. Their chants of: “Oh Abu Mahdi, oh Suleimani your blood won’t be shed in vain,” mixed with the rhythms of a slow funeral march struck by a military band. | Some of the mourners wore black shirts and suits, others donned the military fatigues of their militias. Their chants of: “Oh Abu Mahdi, oh Suleimani your blood won’t be shed in vain,” mixed with the rhythms of a slow funeral march struck by a military band. |
| Among the crowd stood some of Iraq’s leading politicians and close Iranian allies – the PM, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, former PM Nouri al-Maliki as well as Hadi al-Amiri, who was appointed as a replacement for Muhandis. There were also many senior militia commanders surrounded by a circle of bodyguards who stood under the many-coloured flags of their respective militias, all part of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilisation Units. | Among the crowd stood some of Iraq’s leading politicians and close Iranian allies – the PM, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, former PM Nouri al-Maliki as well as Hadi al-Amiri, who was appointed as a replacement for Muhandis. There were also many senior militia commanders surrounded by a circle of bodyguards who stood under the many-coloured flags of their respective militias, all part of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilisation Units. |
| Two honour guards in long red tunics and white pith helmets decorated with white feathers walked nervously among the battle-hardened militiamen. | Two honour guards in long red tunics and white pith helmets decorated with white feathers walked nervously among the battle-hardened militiamen. |
| The coffins were taken early in the morning to Kadhimiya neighbourhood in northern Baghdad, where a larger crowd had marched to the Shia shrine, weeping and beating their chests. After the procession in Baghdad, the coffins were to make their way to the holy cities of Kerbala and Najaf. | The coffins were taken early in the morning to Kadhimiya neighbourhood in northern Baghdad, where a larger crowd had marched to the Shia shrine, weeping and beating their chests. After the procession in Baghdad, the coffins were to make their way to the holy cities of Kerbala and Najaf. |
| For the past few years, the adversaries US and Iran had coexisted awkwardly in Iraq, where the US occupied large military bases while the Iranians trained and armed tens of thousands of fighters. | For the past few years, the adversaries US and Iran had coexisted awkwardly in Iraq, where the US occupied large military bases while the Iranians trained and armed tens of thousands of fighters. |
| During the war against Islamic State militants, the two sides shared a common enemy, but the delicate rules governing their relationship in Iraq started crumbling after the American withdrawal from the nuclear agreement. | During the war against Islamic State militants, the two sides shared a common enemy, but the delicate rules governing their relationship in Iraq started crumbling after the American withdrawal from the nuclear agreement. |
| “We have been in a state of war with America for many years, but it was a quiet and soft war,” said a member of the pro-Iranian militia who attended the funeral. “Now after the killing of the leaders Suleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the war will take place in the open not only against America but also against all their agents and stooges inside Iraq.” | “We have been in a state of war with America for many years, but it was a quiet and soft war,” said a member of the pro-Iranian militia who attended the funeral. “Now after the killing of the leaders Suleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the war will take place in the open not only against America but also against all their agents and stooges inside Iraq.” |
| The assassinations have also shifted the narrative of the anti-government demonstration of the past three months. Many of the protesters camping in Tahrir Square, who opposed the Iranian government for their support of the corrupt Iraqi religious parties and their militias, were quick to condemn the attack, fearing an increase of reprisal attacks and a crackdown that has already left 500 dead. | The assassinations have also shifted the narrative of the anti-government demonstration of the past three months. Many of the protesters camping in Tahrir Square, who opposed the Iranian government for their support of the corrupt Iraqi religious parties and their militias, were quick to condemn the attack, fearing an increase of reprisal attacks and a crackdown that has already left 500 dead. |
| “This American attack came with the worst timing,” said one of the leaders of the demonstration. | “This American attack came with the worst timing,” said one of the leaders of the demonstration. |
| “These militias were already calling us American agents to justify their attacks on us, and we fear that they [Iranian and their militias] will use the assassination of Suleimani as a pretext to destroy our protest.” | “These militias were already calling us American agents to justify their attacks on us, and we fear that they [Iranian and their militias] will use the assassination of Suleimani as a pretext to destroy our protest.” |