[AlAhram] Iraq's long-running power struggle between rival Shia camps devolved into bloody street violence this week, the culmination of months of simmering tensions and a political vacuum.
For 24 hours, loyalists of powerful holy man Moqtada Tater al-Sadr
...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He had his hereditary rival, al-Khoei, assassinated only a few hours after the holy rival's appearance out of exile in 2003. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, lately he's gagged over some of their more outlandish antics, then went back to catspawry...
transformed the country's government Green Zone into a front line, trading fire with security forces and rival militias, and bringing the capital to a standstill. |