IRAQ’S SADR WARNS TURKEY OVER TROOP DEPLOYMENT ‘INVASION’
Iraqi Shi’ite radical leader Muqtada al-Sadr delivers a sermon to worshippers during Friday prayers at the Kufa mosque near Najaf, December 11, 2015. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani
KUFA, IRAQ — Iraq’s powerful Shi’ite cleric and leader of the Saraya Al-Salam (Formally known as Mahdi Army) Muqtada Al-Sadr said he will stand and watch how other parties react to Turkish presence near the frontline in northern Iraq, calling it an invasion.
“Everybody knows we fought the U.S. invasion and their allies and are still fighting, many were witnessing and many were against that and today the Turkish invasion at the doors, there are voices saying that it will end the Turkish invasion by military means, so today we stand to -only- watch these voices that wants to fight Turkey and what they will do, if they didn’t do their duty, then we will take action after a while,” said, Iraqi Shi’ite cleric, Muqtada Al-Sadr in a Friday sermon at the Kufa Mosque
Shi’ite paramilitary groups with ties to Iran threatened to use force against Turkey recently unless it withdraws its troops from Iraqi territory.
Turkey deployed a contingent of troops to a camp near the frontline in northern Iraq last week, provoking an outcry in Baghdad, which condemned it as a violation of sovereignty and asked NATO to intervene.
The area north of Mosul where the Turkish troops are stationed is under the control of Kurdish forces and Shi’ite militias have no presence there, which would make it difficult for them to follow through on the threats.
But it puts additional pressure on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who was already under fire from the same Shi’ite factions over an announcement by the United States that it will send a new special operations force to conduct raids in Iraq.
Badr Brigade spokesman Karim al-Nuri likened the Turkish incursion with the occupation of Iraq by Islamic State (IS) militants and said “all options” were available.
(Reuters)
Iraqi Shi’ite radical leader Muqtada al-Sadr delivers a sermon to worshippers during Friday prayers at the Kufa mosque near Najaf, December 11, 2015. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani
KUFA, IRAQ — Iraq’s powerful Shi’ite cleric and leader of the Saraya Al-Salam (Formally known as Mahdi Army) Muqtada Al-Sadr said he will stand and watch how other parties react to Turkish presence near the frontline in northern Iraq, calling it an invasion.
“Everybody knows we fought the U.S. invasion and their allies and are still fighting, many were witnessing and many were against that and today the Turkish invasion at the doors, there are voices saying that it will end the Turkish invasion by military means, so today we stand to -only- watch these voices that wants to fight Turkey and what they will do, if they didn’t do their duty, then we will take action after a while,” said, Iraqi Shi’ite cleric, Muqtada Al-Sadr in a Friday sermon at the Kufa Mosque
Shi’ite paramilitary groups with ties to Iran threatened to use force against Turkey recently unless it withdraws its troops from Iraqi territory.
Turkey deployed a contingent of troops to a camp near the frontline in northern Iraq last week, provoking an outcry in Baghdad, which condemned it as a violation of sovereignty and asked NATO to intervene.
The area north of Mosul where the Turkish troops are stationed is under the control of Kurdish forces and Shi’ite militias have no presence there, which would make it difficult for them to follow through on the threats.
But it puts additional pressure on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who was already under fire from the same Shi’ite factions over an announcement by the United States that it will send a new special operations force to conduct raids in Iraq.
Badr Brigade spokesman Karim al-Nuri likened the Turkish incursion with the occupation of Iraq by Islamic State (IS) militants and said “all options” were available.
(Reuters)
