Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a media conference in Najaf, Iraq. Reuters (Council on Foreign Relations)
SULAIMANI — Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on the Iraqi government to either act or let them act after six blasts rocked Kirkuk city on Thursday night (May 30).
Sadr said Kirkuk had become the victim of corruption and national conflicts.
“Save the beloved Kirkuk,” said Sadr in a tweet on Thursday. “Either you [the government of Iraq] act or let us act. We can benefit and not hurt.”
Sadr added the nation is suffering from hunger, domination and corruption at the highest level in the country.
“Southern provinces suffer from poverty and corruption and central provinces suffer from corruption and hunger. But the Diyala, Kirkuk, Saladin, and Anbar provinces have become the victim of tyranny and corruption.”
Sadr called for the removal of parties’ officials from their positions and removal of the officials managing the provinces. He said the provinces should be administered by the three presidencies, including President, Prime Minister, and Parliament, in cooperation with police and army.
Sadr ’s comments came after six blasts killed six people and wounded 19 others in the city of Kirkuk on Thursday night.
Six improvised explosive devices (IED) went off in Kirkuk and two more were defused by security forces, the Iraqi military said in a statement.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Islamic State (ISIS) militants are active in the area, despite its military defeat. Iraq declared victory over the group, which once held large swathes of the country, in December 2017.
Commander of Kirkuk Operations Command Saad Harbiya said ISIS militants were behind the explosions.
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