Overnight on 31 August-1 September 2022, fighting occurred between Moqtada al-Sadr’s Saraya al-Salam militia and the pro-Iran Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq militia in the southern city of Basra. Four people were killed in the clashes before security personnel were deployed to restore order. Tensions remain heightened in Basra and Baghdad following al-Sadr’s 29 August decision to withdraw from political activities after a 10-month-long governmental deadlock.