Region | Iraq
Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr announces formation of new cultural organisation
Anti US Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr on Thursday announced his plans to create a new cultural organisation as part of his plans to reorganise his Mahdi Army militia, a spokesman said on Thursday.
- Agencies
- Published: 17:53 August 7, 2008
- Shiite cleric Muqtada Al Sadr announced the formation of a new cultural organization to be named Momahiduon, Arabic for ''those who pave the way".
- Image Credit: AP
Baghdad: Anti US Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr on Thursday announced his plans to create a new cultural organisation as part of his plans to reorganise his Mahdi Army militia, a spokesman said on Thursday.
The new group is to be named Momahidoun, Arabic for "those who pave the way" in reference to the Mahdi, or so-called Hidden Imam, a 9th century Muslim saint said to
have disappeared as a child. Shiites believe he will return one day to bring justice to Earth.
Shaik Salah Al Obeidi, spokesman for the Sadrist said that the new organisation will replace the Mahdi Army, but elite cells of fighters will continue targeting US led foreign forces under strict guidelines, such as not harming Iraqis or infrastructure.
The announcemnet by Al Sadr is in line with plans he announced in June aimed at asserting more control over the militia by dividing it into a group of experienced members who would be exclusively authorised to fight and others who would focus on social, religious and community work.
It also comes as Shiite politicians jockey for power ahead of expected provincial elections, although the date for the vote has not been set.
The Mahdi Army and other militia factions have lost their power bases in Baghdad, Basra and other major cities following US-backed Iraqi operations.
"This move is meant to offer an incentive for the foreign forces to withdraw," Al Obeidi said. "The special cells of fighters will not strike against foreign forces until the situation becomes clear vis-a-vis the Iraq-US agreement on the presence of American forces here."
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