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Moqtada al-Sadr calls for Iraqi unity as fears of election fraud grow
Baghdad — Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called for Iraqis to show unity rather than squabble over a possible rerun of the election his bloc won last month. The remarks seemed aimed at defusing political tension after a storage site holding ballot boxes caught fire. Parliament has mandated a manual recount of the election in which a number of political parties alleged fraud. A storage site holding half of the ballot boxes from the capital caught fire on Sunday in what Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called a "plot to harm the nation and its democracy". The authorities say the ballot boxes were saved and the fire will not affect the recount. Nevertheless it has added to fears that disputes over the vote result could turn violent. Sadr, a Shi’ite cleric who once led violent campaigns against a US occupation, has emerged as nationalist opponent of powerful Shi’ite religious parties allied to Iran. He scored a surprise victory in the election, with his followers emerging as the largest political...
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