Dawoodi Bohra Forum

raqi army attacked Mahmud al-Hasani al-Sarkhi’s centers in Karbala killing 30 in skirmishes

BAGHDAD

Thirty people were killed and many were injured when the Iraqi army attacked centers of radical Shia cleric, Mahmud al-Hasani al Sarkhi in Karbala on Wednesday, according to initial findings of security sources.

Al-Sarkhi’s supporters put up resistance against the raid at the center where he lectures, resulting in the detention of more than 100 supporters, said security sources.

According to witnesses, the Iraqi army raided al-Sarkhi’s lecture center using heavy weapons and howitzers in order to take him into custody. Al-Sarkhi escaped without injury and was taken to safety in the conflict between his supporters and the army.

The army launched an air attack against al-Sarkhi’s centers in Karbala and Diwaniyah, inflicting substantial damage.

Iraqi officials have not yet made a statement on the attacks.

Al-Sarkhi, a radical Shia cleric in Iraq, is renowned for making an objection to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's call for jihad.

The Ayatollah called Shias to war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Mahmud al-Hasani al-Sarkhi is a radical Shia cleric in Iraq.[1] In June 2006, his followers attacked the Iranian consulate in Basra and tore down its flag in protest over criticism of their leader broadcast on Iranian television.[2] He called for an independent inquiry into the Battle of Najaf in 2007, which many believed was a massacre by Iraqi security forces.[3] In April 2012, his followers were involved in clashes with supporters of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.[4] On July 3, 2014 Iraqi police and armed forces attempted to arrest al-Sharkhi in Karbala, leading to clashes between his supporters and government forces that killed 45 people.[1]



http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/353577--30 ... er-in-iraq

At least 14 people were killed in clashes between rival Shia factions in southern Iraq overnight as prime minister Nouri al-Maliki tries to consolidate his control over the country.
Clashes began late on Tuesday, according to a local journalist in Karbala, after the radical Shia cleric Mahmoud Sarkhi Hassani, also known as al-Sarkhi, delivered a fiery speech which inspired some of his followers to attack a nearby police outpost.

In the ensuing clashes about 10 security officials were killed and Mr Sarkhi was arrested, according to the reporter – although this could not be confirmed.
By midday on Wednesday security forces, backed by special forces from Baghdad, surrounded a district that Mr Sarkhi controls.
The tensions within the Shia community – pitting those close to Iran and the Maliki government against nationalists – add another explosive dimension to Iraq’s security troubles.
The violence came hours after Iraqi politicians assembled in parliament to try to form a government.
The session ended in disarray amid acrimony between the Shia bloc of the prime minister and Sunni and Kurd MPs who refused to return after a recess, depriving the session of a quorum. The politicians are due to meet again next week.
The lack of any agreement among Iraqi lawmakers has deepened international concern about the ability of Mr Maliki and his forces to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, known as Isis, and its Sunni insurgent allies, who have taken over swaths of the country and are tightening control around the capital.
Mr Sarkhi has rejected calls by senior Shia clergy for young men to join the security forces to fend off an onslaught by Isis and allied Sunni insurgents.
Twenty-five people were wounded in the fighting in Karbala, according to state media. Al Jazeera, the broadcaster, reported that army helicopters were used in the attack.
Iraq

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Officials in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf said Mr Sarkhi’s followers have had frequent run-ins with government forces, who accuse the cleric of seeking control of the shrine of Imam Abbas, a Shia saint, in Karbala.
Like rival Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr, Mr Sarkhi follows the Sadr line of clergy, who generally appeal to younger and poorer Iraqis than mainstream clergy such as Ayatollah Ali Sistani. Both Mr Sarkhi and Mr Sadr have armed supporters and oppose Mr Maliki, who has thrown his lot in with the Asaheb al-Haq militia.
Local residents said they were worried fighting between Shia could spread, with Mr Sarkhi’s supporters seeking to avenge their leader.
“We expect the same incidents in Najaf because it’s the same political situation as Karbala,” said Zuhair Sharba, chairman of Najaf Chamber of Commerce. “We have to prepare ourselves and keep our eyes open.”
The security forces in Karbala imposed a curfew and arrested 30 Sarkhi followers who tried to enter the city from other provinces on Tuesday evening. They also imposed a security cordon around Mr Sarkhi’s house in an attempt to arrest him, state media said.
Meanwhile, Iraqi forces were reported to have clashed overnight with Sunni insurgents in Fallujah and Tikrit, and launched air strikes on the insurgent controlled city of Mosul.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/387bab38-01d6 ... ab7de.html