Al Sadr calls for calm after mosque explosion kills 18
Al Sadr, a nationalist who tapped growing resentment with Iran, scored surprise victory
Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr called on his followers yesterday to remain calm after an explosion killed 18 people in his main stronghold in Baghdad just hours after parliament called for a recount of votes in an election his bloc won.
Al Sadr, a nationalist who tapped growing resentment with Iran, scored a surprise victory in the May 12 vote by promising to fight corruption and improve services.
He said in a statement that a committee would be formed to investigate the blast, with findings presented to him within three days.
He called for “patience and self-control”, the statement from his office said.
At least 18 people were killed and over 90 wounded in Al Sadr City, a blast that the interior ministry said was the result of the detonation of an ammunitions cache.
Al Sadr’s top aide, Dhiaa Al Asadi, expressed concerns that some parties were trying to sabotage Al Sadr’s victory.
“Losers in the recent elections shouldn’t hijack or manipulate the parliament. Otherwise, it is a conflict of interests,” he said. Al Sadr has always been seen as a wild card in Iraq’s turbulent politics, which is often driven by sectarian interests.
His Mehdi Army militia staged two violent uprisings against US occupation forces after the invasion and Iraqi and US officials described him at the time as the biggest security threat in Iraq.
The defeat of Daesh in December had raised hopes that the country could ease sectarian and political tensions and find a formula for stability.