Sadr: No Room for Militias in Iraq Anymore

Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends a news conference in Najaf, Iraq, November 18, 2021. (Reuters)
Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends a news conference in Najaf, Iraq, November 18, 2021. (Reuters)
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Sadr: No Room for Militias in Iraq Anymore

Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends a news conference in Najaf, Iraq, November 18, 2021. (Reuters)
Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends a news conference in Najaf, Iraq, November 18, 2021. (Reuters)

On the eve of the new Iraqi parliament holding its inaugural meeting, head of the Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr slammed pro-Iran militias, saying there was no room left for them in the country.

In a tweet, he said: "There is no room for sectarianism or racism. There is only room for a national majoritarian government in which the Shiite will defend the rights of the minority Sunnis and Kurds."

"The Kurd will defend the rights of the minority Sunnis and Shiites and the Sunni will defend the rights of the minority Shiites and Kurds," he stressed.

Moreover, he revealed that his movement has reached an agreement with the Sunni and Kurdish forces to form the largest bloc in parliament that will allow it to form a new government at the expense of his rival fellow Shiite forces in the "Coordination Framework."

"There is no room anymore for militias, as everyone will support the army, police and security forces," Sadr announced.

"Along with the people, today we declare that we say no to subjugation," he stated. "Our decision is Iraqi, Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish, Turkmen, Christian, Feyli, Shabak, Yazidi and Sabian: This is an Iraqi mosaic that is neither eastern, nor western."

On Friday, Sadr had declared that he will go ahead to form a national majoritarian government that includes representatives of Sunni Arabs - from the Taqadum party and Azm alliance - and Kurds, represented by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, headed by Masoud Barzani.



Israel Carries Out Several Attacks in Southern Lebanon

A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
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Israel Carries Out Several Attacks in Southern Lebanon

A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)

The Israeli army carried out several attacks in southern Lebanon on Friday, the third day of the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, Lebanon’s state media said.

Artillery bombardment struck the villages of Markaba, Talusa and Khiyam while four Israeli tanks moved into the western part of Khiam, the report said, adding that an Israeli tank fired at a house in Nabatiyeh province.

Local media also reported that the Israeli army fired on civilians in the nearby village of Bint Jbeil. No casualties were immediately reported and The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the claims.

Israel’s military said it struck an area in southern Lebanon where it detected movement of a Hezbollah rocket launcher on Friday.

In the statement on the airstrike, the military said it would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”

There was no immediate comment from the Lebanese army, which has accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire several times since it came into effect.