Iraqi Shi'ite cleric threatens U.S. troops coming to fight IS
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 18 July 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iraqi Shi'ite cleric threatens U.S. troops coming to fight IS, 18 July 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57a43c8a25.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
July 18, 2016
Shi'ite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has threatened to target fresh U.S. troops coming to Iraq to help battle extremist Islamic State (IS) militants.
Sadr, whose Mahdi Army battled U.S. forces in 2003, said on his official website that the 560 new U.S. troops that will soon be dispatched to Iraq to aid in efforts to retake the northern city of Mosul "are a target for us."
The Mahdi Army was disbanded in 2008 and replaced by his Peace Brigades, which helped push back IS forces from areas near Baghdad in 2014 along with Iraqi government troops.
Sadr also leads a protest movement whose demonstrators storm the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone government district twice this year.
The new U.S. troop deployment was announced on July 11 by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
The extra troops are expected to arrive in the coming weeks and will raise the number of U.S. forces in Iraq to about 4,650.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Iraqinews.com
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
