Sadr opposes Maliki's presidency over anti-ISIS Shia militias

Iraq’s powerful Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr expressed his unequivocal opposition to allowing former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki take control of the popular troops, a group of Shia volunteers setup to fight the Islamic State (ISIS), arguing that Al-Maliki’s leadership of the Shia militias is contrary to the new Iraqi government’s vision, the Anadolu Agency reported.

In a statement released by his office yesterday, Al-Sadr warned in his statement of the imminent dangers that will face the country if Al-Maliki takes control of the Shia militants.

He pointed out that such a move was incompatible with top Shia cleric Ali Al-Sistani’s call for jihad.

The statement emphasised that such an attempt would inflame sectarianism in the country, threatening to withdraw the Saraya Al-Salam Shia fighters who emerged from the Sadrist movement if Al-Maliki took the position.