Muqtada al-Sadr Demands US Pay Reparations for Iraq Damage
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, issued a statement on Wednesday characterizing the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq as a period of “Iraq’s independence and the definitive end of the era of American and international coalition presence.”
In his statement, al-Sadr expressed gratitude to those he referred to as “former resistors among the mujahideen and Ansar,” before outlining a series of positions and demands for the upcoming phase.
Al-Sadr’s communiqué called for the immediate dissolution of the “Yaum al-Maw’ud” brigade and the transformation of “Jaysh al-Imam” into the “Ansar al-Imam al-Mahdi” institution. He further urged the U.S. Army to compensate for the damages incurred from the occupation of Iraqi territories and to initiate legal complaints in this regard.
The cleric issued a warning to the United States and neighboring countries concerning “the consequences of interference in Iraq’s internal affairs,” emphasizing that such actions could lead to severed relations, reciprocal measures, particularly in political and ideological matters, and the entanglement of Iraq in regional conflicts.
Regarding relations with the United States, he expressed hope for reciprocal diplomatic behavior from Washington and urged it to refrain from “arrogance towards Iraq, its government, and its people.”
Al-Sadr also stipulated three conditions in his statement, which he deemed essential for the phase concluding the occupation:
- The monopolization of weapons by the government within the framework of an open, studied plan that yields real and satisfactory results for the nation and religious authorities.
- The stepping down of political leaders and their retirement from political work, paving the way for new figures to end corruption and strive for reform.
- The strengthening of security forces and the activation of all its branches, particularly border guards.
The U.S. Department of Defense officially announced earlier today the conclusion of its military mission in Iraq and the completion of troop withdrawal. The department reiterated that the termination of this mission aligns with the agreement reached between Washington and Baghdad, which stipulates the end of the American military presence related to the international coalition’s mission against ISIS in Iraq.
