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Al-Sadr Appears at Iraqi Mosque

Posted May 25, 07 8:22 AM CDT in World,  US 

(Newser) – Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr emerged from hiding today, making a surprise appearance near the Iraqi city of Najaf. Al-Sadr, who fled to Iran four months ago, gave a sermon at Kufa today, condemning the US occupation and demanding a "timetable" for withdrawal. In a shift away from sectarianism, he encouraged Sunnis to join in peaceful opposition to the occupation.

Al-Sadr's return from exile may signal a growing confidence that the US will to remain in Iraq has reached a breaking point, and a belief that the Iraqi government is near collapse, creating new opportunity for the Sadrist movement.  Al-Sadr also urged his Mahdi Army to refrain from battling Iraqi security forces.

Source Associated Press

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  (Associated Press)
  (Associated Press)
  (Qassem Zein/Agence France-Presse)
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Iraq  • Muqtada al-Sadr  • Shiite  • Sunni  • Mahdi Army  • sectarianism


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