| Al-Habboubi Square attack | |
| Location: | Al-Habboubi Square, Nasiriyah, Iraq |
| Partof: | the 2019–2021 Iraqi protests |
| Coordinates: | 31.05°N 62°W |
| Timezone: | UTC+3 (Arabia Standard Time) |
| Weapons: | Guns, molotov cocktails |
| Fatalities: | 2–8 |
| Injuries: | 10–70 |
| Perpetrator: | Saraya al-Salam |
| Motive: | Dispelling protesters |
The Al-Habboubi Square attack was a violent conflict between soldiers of the Sadrist Movement's Saraya al-Salam and anti-government protesters on November 27, 2020. Located in Al-Habboubi Square, Nasiriyah, Iraq, the conflict was one of many violent uprisings in the 2019–2021 Iraqi protests.[1]
According to the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, the attack was preceded by a social media post by Muhammed Saleh al-Iraqi, a social media mouthpiece for al-Sadr, telling Sadrists to "cleanse" Al-Habboubi Square of anti-government protesters.[2]
On Friday, November 27, 2020, supporters of Iraqi Shia politician Muqtada al-Sadr gathered in Tahrir Square to demonstrate support for al-Sadr. After completing Friday prayers at noon, the group marched to Al-Habboubi Square, which was already occupied by an encampment of anti-government protesters.[3]
It is unclear whether the anti-government protesters aggravated al-Sadr's supporters. Reports by Reuters suggest that the anti-government protesters were being peaceful,[1] while AP News alleged the protesters camping in Al-Habboubi Square blocked the march, at which point the Sadrists opened fire on the campers.[3] Multiple sources reported that al-Sadr's supporters shot at the protesters, threw petrol bombs into the encampment,[1] and burned the campers' tents.[4] The protesters retaliated, and the violence continued into Friday evening.[1] The Tahrir Institute claimed that Saraya al-Salam, Sadr's militia, was behind the attacks, though this was not confirmed by most major news outlets.[2]
GardaWorld reported about 60 injuries and 6 deaths,[5] while Al Jazeera reported at least 51 wounded[4] and 8 deaths.[6]
Local authorities placed a curfew in Nasiriyah following the protests, with nearby locations also enforcing security measures.[5] Middle East news outlets The National and Al-Forat News reported Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi dismissed the police chief of the Dhi Qar Governorate, Major Hazim Mohammed Al-Waily, after allegations that he failed to intervene in the attacks.[7] [8]
The Tahrir Institute reported that both al-Sadr and Saleh al-Iraqi praised the attacks, accusing anti-government protesters of being "foreign agents" and calling them derogatory names.[2] On November 30, 2020, The National reported that security forces were being instated in the area, and anti-government protesters were rebuilding their encampment.[7]