Iraq's Sadr calls on supporters to target US troops

Prominent Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr pledged to fight US troops in Iraq after the Pentagon announced last week a further 560 US soldiers will be deployed to the war-torn country.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

18 July, 2016

Sadr fought US troops during their 2003 invasion of Iraq through his Mahdi Army [AFP]

Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on his supporters to target US troops deployed in Iraq, Reuters reported on Sunday.

Sadr's remarks were made on his official site after he was asked to comment on US Defence Secretary Ash Carter's announcement last week that the Pentagon will deploy more troops to Iraq.

"They are a target for us," Sadr said without giving any details, Reuters reported.

Last week Carter announced that his country will send a further 560 US soldiers to help support the offensive to recapture Mosul from Islamic [IS] group.

The new troops will bring the total number of US soldiers in Iraq to around 4,650.

Sadr, who has the support of tens of thousands of Iraqis, had fought US troops during their 2003 invasion of Iraq with the Mahdi Army.

The Mahdi Army was disbanded in 2008 and replaced by the Peace Brigades, who fought under a government-led umbrella group to ward off IS militants from the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad in 2014.

The Shia cleric is also heading a protest movement against the Iraqi government calling for reform and an end to corruption.

His supporters broke into Baghdad's fortified Green Zone area in April, storming parliament.

Other Iran-backed Shia armed groups also pledged to fight US soldiers in Iraq, but the only casualties American forces have suffered since returning to the country in 2014 have been at the hands of IS militants.