▁a ▁continued ▁British ▁presence ▁and ▁anti - B rit ish ▁polit icians , ▁such ▁as ▁R ash id ▁Ali ▁al - G ay l ani , ▁who ▁demanded ▁that ▁remaining ▁British ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁be ▁removed . ▁ ▁Vari ous ▁eth nic ▁and ▁religious ▁fa ctions ▁tried ▁to ▁gain ▁political ▁accomplish ments ▁during ▁this ▁period , ▁often ▁resulting ▁in ▁violent ▁revol ts ▁and ▁a ▁brut al ▁supp ression ▁by ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁military , ▁led ▁by ▁Bak r ▁Sid qi . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁thousands ▁of ▁Ass y ri ans ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁S ime le ▁mass acre , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 – 1 9 3 6 ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁Sh i ' a ▁u pr is ings ▁were ▁brut ally ▁suppress ed ▁in ▁mid - E u phr ates ▁region ▁of ▁Ira q , ▁and ▁in ▁parallel ▁an ▁anti - cons cription ▁Kur d ish ▁u pr ising ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁a ▁Y az idi ▁revol t ▁in ▁J ab al ▁Sin jar ▁were ▁cr ushed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Through out ▁the ▁period ▁political ▁inst ability ▁led ▁to ▁an ▁exchange ▁of ▁numerous ▁govern ments . ▁Bak r ▁Sid qi ▁himself ▁asc ended ▁to ▁power ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁following ▁a ▁successful ▁coup ▁d ' état . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁five ▁cou ps ▁by ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁occurred , ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁chief ▁officers ▁of