Supporters of Syed Moqtada Sadr Rally in Iraq

09 October, 2010 14:19

Supporters of Syed Moqtada Sadr Rally in Iraq

iraq-5 Hundreds of followers of cleric Syed Moqtada al-Sadr took to the streets in Iraq on Friday to show support for their leader’s decision to nominate Nuri al-Maliki as prime minister for a second term.

More than a thousand Sadr supporters demonstrated in Iraq’s southern city of Basra on Friday, while in the holy city of Kerbala, hundreds more took to the streets to push for the speedy formation of a government.

In Baghdad’s Sadr City, hundreds rallied after Friday prayers in support of their leader. All the rallies were peaceful and orderly.

“The leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, made his decision for us,” Hassan Abdul-Hussain, a 36-year-old government employee, told Reuters. “We obey it fully and without controversy because we all know he looks out for Iraq and Iraqis.”

“This decision will yield results soon,” Hussain said. “We have a wise leadership and its decisions are for the interest of the Iraqis and to speed up the long-awaited formation of the government.”

At the rally in Baghdad, support for Sadr was unflinching. “We support decisions made by Moqtada al-Sadr,” said Kadhim Hamdan, 28, while holding up a banner and shouting words of support. “Even if he asks us to go to hell, we will go.”