IRAQ: MEDHI ARMY MEMBERS RALLY IN NAJAF IN SUPPORT OF RADICAL SHI'ITE LEADER MOQTADA AL-SADR

Record ID: 215382

  • Title: IRAQ: MEDHI ARMY MEMBERS RALLY IN NAJAF IN SUPPORT OF RADICAL SHI'ITE LEADER MOQTADA AL-SADR
  • Date: 17th April 2004
  • Summary: (W5) NAJAF, IRAQ (APRIL 17, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS MEMBERS OF MEHDI ARMY, CARRYING WEAPONS AND CHANTING PRO-SADR SLOGANS; (4 SHOTS) 0.56 2. CLOSE UP RPG 1.00 3. MAN SHOWING RPG'S TO CAMERA 1.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAJAF, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA9WME5E9TMBLXZ7FWR2NUC984G
  • Story Text: Members of Mehdi Army rally in support of radical
    Shi'ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr in Najaf, Iraq.


    Hundreds of supporters of radical Shi'ite leader
    Moqtada al-Sadr rallied in the city of Najaf on Saturday
    (April 17) carrying their weapons in support of Sadr.

    About 200 supporters, including several wounded
    militiamen, filed into Sadr's office on Saturday to kiss
    his hand and seek his blessing before chanting Sadr's
    praises.

    Earlier on Saturday a Sadr spokesman said that
    negotiations with coalition forces had stalled.

    A senior official of the U.S.-led administration said
    there were no negotiations with Sadr, but acknowledged
    contacts with various intermediaries claiming ties with
    him.

    U.S.-led authorities in Iraq have vowed to kill or
    capture Sadr and destroy the Mehdi Army. Sadr's supporters
    rose up against occupying forces earlier this month and
    2,500 U.S. troops are now poised outside Najaf to move
    against him.

    The U.S.-led administration says there is no room for
    armed militias in the new Iraq, and that Sadr is wanted in
    connection with the murder of another prominent cleric last
    year.

    Recent weeks have been Iraq's bloodiest since former
    Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was ousted a year ago. The
    U.S. military has lost at least 92 troops in combat since
    March 31 -- more than the total killed in the three-week
    war that toppled the former Iraqi leader.


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