ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called for nationwide protests next Saturday to “denounce the Zionist-American aggression,” stressing that the demonstrations must be peaceful and only the Iraqi flag must be raised. 

“I call on the Iraqi people, with all their sects and affiliations, to demonstrate in the beloved Iraq’s provinces next Saturday in order to denounce the Zionist-American aggression and to demand the declaration of peace in the entire region,” Sadr said in a letter. 

He emphasized the importance of the demonstration being “peaceful and highly organized,” stressing that “only the Iraqi flag should be raised.” 

Iraq has been thrust into the US-Israeli war against Iran, with both sides, as well as pro-Iran militias in Iraq, carrying out attacks against the country. 

On Monday, Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework said that more than 100 members of Iraqi security and military forces have been killed since the start of the war. 

Pro-Iran armed groups operating under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have targeted US interests in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, prompting the retaliatory strikes.

Since the start of the war, US-Israeli strikes have repeatedly targeted positions of the state-incorporated Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which comprises dozens of armed factions that are affiliated with Iran. More than 80 PMF fighters have been killed in the attack.

The Iraqi interior ministry on Saturday said a regiment of Nineveh Police was targeted in a “treacherous Zionist-American aggression,” resulting in at least two killed and five others wounded.

Iraq and the US on Friday announced a joint committee to boost coordination and prevent the use of Iraqi territory for attacks.

On Saturday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani’s residence in Duhok was subjected to drone strikes. The attacks on the Kurdish leader's domicile were condemned by both the US and Iran, as well as the IRGC.

Washington has blamed Iran and its proxies for the attack, while the IRGC and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dubbed the attack a "false flag operation" by the US.