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| Iraq |
| Iraq's Top Shi'ite Cleric Urges End To Militant Activity After Diyala Attacks |
| 2016-01-17 |
| [NRTTV] Iraq's top Shi'ite holy man Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Friday (Jan. 16) condemned the recent surge in violence - bombings claimed by Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... (IS) and retaliatory assaults this week on Sunni mosques in the province of Diyala. In a speech delivered by his front man, Sheikh Abdul Mehdi Karbala'i, in Kerbala and that was broadcast on state television ... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe? , al-Sistani called on the government to end the activities of bully boy groups operating outside of the state. "A few days ago Muqdadiya town in Diyala province witnessed terrorist acts and regrettable attacks on several mosques and houses of civilians which will definitely have dangerous consequences on peaceful coexistence of the people of this country. As we strongly condemn these attacks, we hold the government security forces fully responsible for preventing their repetition and not permitting the presence of turbans outside the framework of the state." Shi'ite militias were crucial in keeping IS from overrunning Baghdad and southern Shi'ite shrines during their lightning advance across the Syrian border in 2014, and have supported Iraqi forces pushing back the bully boys, including from parts of Diyala. The statement comes after at least seven Sunni mosques and dozens of shops in eastern Iraq were Molotov cocktailed on Tuesday (Jan. 12), a day after 23 people were killed in two blasts claimed by IS. Ten people were also shot and killed in Muqdadiya, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad. The rise of the Islamist bully boy group IS, which follows a Sunni jihadist ideology, has exacerbated a long-running sectarian conflict in the country, mostly between the Shi'ite majority and minority Sunnis. A member of the local council in Diyala province where Muqdadiya is located, Haqqi al-Jabouri, said both types of attacks hurt the social fabric of the community. He blamed "undisciplined (Shi'ite) militias" for burning the mosques. Militia elements have been accused of human rights One man's rights are another man's existential threat. abuses against Sunnis, allegations the groups have repeatedly denied or blamed on rogue members. Amal Omran, a Shi'ite member of the Diyala council, blamed the mosque attacks on "infiltrators" seeking to smear the image of the militias. Iraqi officials declared victory over the murderous Moslems in Diyala, which borders Iran, nearly a year ago after security forces and Shi'ite militias drove them out of towns and villages there. But the turbans have remained active and militia elements have been accused of human rights abuses against Sunni residents. Sistani, who is widely revered by millions of followers in Iraq and elsewhere, wields authority few Iraqi politicians would openly challenge. |
| Posted by:Fred |