ROME — The Iraqi government has ordained a “total curfew” during the March 5-8 visit of Pope Francis following recent violent attacks in the country.
While the government has justified the curfew as a means of curbing the spread of the coronavirus, it has mandated a “total curfew” only for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, which conveniently sync with the days of the papal trip.
It has also announced that the curfew will be lifted on March 8, the day of the pope’s return trip to Italy.
The government has ordered the closure of all mosques and other places of worship until further notice.
Last month, twin suicide bombers blew themselves up in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing at least 32 and leaving some 110 injured in one of the most lethal attacks in nearly two years.
The bombing took place in Tayaran Square, in the center of Baghdad, not far from Tahrir Square, the epicenter for about a year and a half of anti-government protests against government corruption and the high cost of living.
While suicide attacks had become quite rare in the Iraqi capital, Iraq has undergone a wave of violence as the United States withdraws its army to entrust local forces with security management. Also in January, seven coordinated attacks in Kirkuk, 150 miles north of Baghdad, left at least 24 people dead and 89 injured.
Some 2,500 U.S. soldiers remain in Iraq and incoming Defense Secretary General Lloyd Austin said during his confirmation hearing that he is still concerned about the threat the Islamic State poses in the region as dormant ISIS cells reportedly still operate in the country.
Coordinated attacks on power lines, power stations, and other infrastructure several weeks ago caused millions of dollars in damage to the electricity sector, an Iraqi ministry reported.
The Iraqi curfew excludes employees of the Ministry of Health, the security forces and government departments providing essential services, the Iraqi government announced.
It also excludes grocery, fruit and vegetable stores, bakeries and pharmacies, which will be allowed to open from 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM when the total curfew is in force.
Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi received the Vatican ambassador in Baghdad to discuss the preparation for Pope Francis’s visit to the country, according to Iraqi media reports Sunday.
“The visit of His Holiness the Pope will contribute to consolidating stability and spreading the spirit of brotherhood in Iraq and the region,” Al-Kadhimi said.
Iraq’s government and people of all faiths welcome Pope Francis in their country, he said, and echo the pope’s efforts in confronting extremism and spreading the spirit of tolerance.
The Vatican ambassador, Archbishop Mitja Leskovar, expressed his “great appreciation and gratitude to the Iraqi government for its efforts in facilitating the procedures of the historic visit that Pope Francis will pay to Iraq next month.”
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