Protesters from the Tamim tribe have closed government offices in Diyala province, eastern Iraq, in protest against the failure to appoint one of their members as governor. The provincial council selected Adnan Al-Ja'yir Al-Shammari as governor from the "Al-Bashair" movement, which is part of the "State of Law" coalition led by Nouri Al-Maliki.
Protests erupted late Tuesday into Wednesday in various areas, with dozens of participants from "Tamim" and supporters of the former governor, Mithna Al-Tamimi. They closed offices, including police stations, and hung signs on their doors reading "Closed by order of the people."
Videos showed a large gathering of the "Bani Tamim" tribe demanding that the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Rashid, refrain from signing the decree appointing the new governor. Security sources reported that Baquba, the provincial center, did not witness protests like those in the cities of Baladruz and Al-Muqdadiya, the stronghold of Bani Tamim. The sources confirmed that "calm prevails in the province after a stormy night, but some groups are still threatening significant demonstrations and hinting at road closures." Additionally, it was reported that the Ministry of Interior has opened an investigation led by officers from Baghdad to hold accountable those responsible for safeguarding government institutions.
