Tribesmen from Bani Tamim shut down government departments in Diyala

Shafaq News/ Dozens of protesters from the Bani Tamim tribe disrupted government operations in Iraq's Diyala governorate on Tuesday, shutting down several offices in al-Miqdadiyah district to demand a tribal member be appointed governor.

The demonstrators, angered by the appointment of another candidate, blocked the local police station and other government buildings. A security source told Shafaq News Agency the protests stemmed from the governorate council's decision to overlook the tribe’s choice for the governor.

The council had elected Adnan al-Jayer al-Tamimi, a member of the State of Law coalition, as governor during a special session in Baghdad on August 1. The move sparked immediate backlash from the influential Bani Tamim tribe, which backs Muthanna al-Tamimi.

Outgoing Governor Muthanna al-Tamimi, also from the tribe, distanced himself from the new administration, saying he would not attend the session in response to tribal demands. Political wrangling over the appointment has exacerbated political divisions within the council itself, which has been deadlocked since February over the formation of a local government. A group of eight Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish members supported the reappointment of al-Tamimi, while the remaining seven, Sunni and Shiite, opposed it.