Iraqi forces prevent Parliament Speaker’s participation in Friday prayers

Maliki’s security forces blocked the convoy of Iraqi Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi and other MPs heading to Baghdad’s Abi Hanafiya Naaman mosque. Al-Nujaifi and his companions intended to take part in a Friday prayer gathering. Last week al-Nujaifi had presented his resignation, protesting the massacre of tribes by Maliki’s forces.
According to local TV reports despite attacks by Maliki’s forces against the people of Fallujah and Ramadi, the Friday prayer gatherings took part with huge crowds participating in both cities. This is while Maliki’s militants, in coordination with military forces, opened fire on Ramadi worshippers in an attempt to prevent their Friday unity prayer gathering as the Ramadi grand mosque from forming.
“Armed tribes entered fierce clashes with Maliki’s militants who had opened fire on worshippers,” al-Rafedein TV reported.