Iraqi Government Asks Other Militias To Chill
Baghdad, Aug 31, (VOI) – The Iraqi government hailed the decision taken by Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr to freeze his Mahdi Army militias for six months, terming the step as a “chance” for all militias in Iraq to follow suit.
“The Iraqi government welcomes Sadr’s decision, which was an encouraging step towards consolidating security and stability nationwide, and a favorable chance for all militias, with their political and ideological affiliations, to follow suit to maintain Iraq’s unity, independent and sovereignty,” the government said in a statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) at a late hour on Thursday.
Sadr announced the freeze of his Mahdi Army militia after recent bloody incidents in the holy city of Karbala, 100 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, during the past couple of days.
Scores of security men and civilians were killed or wounded during the rituals of a Shiite pilgrimage called al-Ziyara al-Shaabaniya, or the mid-Shaaban visit, to commemorate the memory of the birth of the Messiah-like Imam al-Mahdi, the 12th holiest figure for Shiite Muslims.
Hundreds of thousands of Shiites from inside and outside Iraq have flooded into Karbala in processions on foot to perform the rituals of the visit.
Shaaban is the month that precedes the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Muslim Hegira calendar.
Iraqi officials had accused the Mahdi Army militias, loyal to Sadr, of involvement in the armed clashes with Iraqi security forces in Karbala, which was flatly denied by Sadrist leaders.
A statement by Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday called for a “fair and neutral probe” into the incidents to determine who was responsible for the outbreak of acts of violence in the city.
A government statement on Thursday noted that the Sadrists were “important political actors in the Iraqi arena and will remain true active partner in the (Iraqi) political process.”
AP Addendum: A shadowy faction of the Mahdi Army—the Free Men’s Brigade—rejected al-Sadr’s order, noting that the young cleric had said in the past that only the country’s Shiite religious leadership could halt the militia’s operations.
Little is known of the faction, which emerged this month in southern Iraq. Al-Sadr loyalists in Baghdad suspect its ranks include mostly Shiites who were Saddam Hussein supporters.
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“12th holiest figure for Shiites”
Shurely shome mishtake? Are they getting confused with the fact that he’s also known as the 12th imam?
August 31st, 2007 at 4:56 amThe 12th Iman is either an 8th Century Iman if you believe the Shia version or Muhammed if you believe the sunni version of Islam. In any case, the only reason that mookie is chilling out is because he has lost support…and he is the idiot that fucked up the recent Shia holiday celebrations. He’s an astute liar…but a lousy one.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:44 amHoly month before the holy month. With all their holiness we’ve learned if they’re talking they’re lying. Keep killing them until they can’t kill anymore. The killed don’t kill.
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October 28th, 2007 at 12:37 pm