Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has ordered the deployment of tanks and artillery at the gates of Baghdad's Green Zone, declaring the area completely shut, according to Iraqi media. The heavy armor is now in position, escalating a security lockdown that began earlier Sunday.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has ordered the deployment of heavy armor, including tanks and artillery, at the gates of Baghdad's Green Zone, declaring the area "completely shut off" due to deteriorating internal stability, according to Iraqi media reports. The heavy armor is now in position, building on a security operation that began early Sunday morning.
This latest order follows a rapid sequence of developments in the Iraqi capital reported by local media since early Sunday. At roughly 02:57 Jerusalem time, reports emerged that the Green Zone's gates had been closed. By 03:21, the Iraqi military had fully secured the zone, and soon after, gunfire was reported nearby. At approximately 06:02, special forces arrested high-profile officials in a sweep described as part of an anti-corruption crackdown. The deployment of heavy armor at the gates marks the most overt show of force by the prime minister so far.
The source and nature of the "deteriorating internal stability" cited by al-Zaidi remain undisclosed. The heavy armor deployment suggests the prime minister is taking no chances with potential militia interference or unrest as the anti-corruption operation continues.
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