On IS anniversary, Iraq’s top cleric warns rifts mean group’s resurgence

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraq’s top Shia cleric, who made a famous call to arms against Islamic State militants, warned Friday that political divisions in the country could lead to the terrorists’ resurgence.

Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in a Friday sermon delivered by a spokesperson at the city of Karbala, marking the fifth anniversary of his fatwa urging to carry arms against IS, warned that the group could make use of  political divisions in the country to make a comeback.

“The continuation of conflicts over gains and bounties among those in power, the ongoing tribal sectarian, regional and political problems…could enable Daesh (Islamic State) remnants to return and find environs at aggrieved and indignant people”.

Iraq declared victory over Islamic State militants and recapturing areas under its control late 2017, but political divisions persist since the formation of the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi over who should assume the pivotal posts of defense and interior ministry.