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9 April 2010  |     mail this article   |     print   |    |  Reuters
Iraq anti-US cleric Sadr urges unity vs Americans

By Khaled Farhan in Najaf and Waleed Ibrahim in Baghdad, writing by Ian Simpson; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton

Anti-U.S. cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, likely to be a key player in forming a new Iraqi government following elections last month, urged Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims on Friday to unite to oust American troops.

 

In an address read to tens of thousands of supporters at a rally to mark the seventh anniversary of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Sadr said that without Iraqi unity "the occupation and its advocates will stay in Iraq without fear".

 

"You, the Sunnis of Iraq, joined hands with the Shi'ites to liberate our country. Do not let the (U.S.) occupation or any unjust law made by it deter you from doing that," he said in the address read by aide Hazem al-Araji.

 

The United States has almost 100,000 troops in Iraq but they are largely on bases away from cities. Washington has said it will withdraw all troops by the end of 2011.

 

"We don't want them (Americans) to stay in our country, let them leave," said Hussein Muhammad, 30, who journeyed to the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, from the southern city of Basra for the rally.

 

Sadr, a Shi'ite who is studying in Iran and is part of the Shi'ite Iraqi National Alliance (INA), is a major factor as politicians try to form a government after inconclusive elections last month.

 

As part of political negotiations, INA has held merger talks with the State of Law coalition of Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

 

State of Law finished just two seats behind former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's cross-sectarian Iraqiya list in the 325-seat parliament. Sadrists won around 40 seats, the best showing of any party in the INA.

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