Radical cleric Sadr returns to Iraq (after 4 years) as hero

Source: AFP

NAJAF, Iraq — Radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr returned Wednesday to Iraq for a hero's welcome in his stronghold of Najaf after nearly four years outside the country, an AFP correspondent said.

"Moqtada al-Sadr has returned to his home in Najaf. He arrived about 3:00 pm (1200 GMT) with several leaders from the Sadr movement," a source in his movement said, adding Sadr was not visiting but had returned to stay.

Hundreds of supporters took to the streets of Al-Hanana neighbourhood in Najaf, the central Iraq shrine city where Sadr's home is located, to celebrate the cleric's return watched on by security forces.

...

His bloc now holds seven cabinet posts -- Housing and Construction, Labour and Social Affairs, Water Resources, a minister of state for Tourism and Archaeology, and two ministers without portfolio -- in the national unity cabinet that was approved by parliament on December 21.

Deputy speaker of parliament Qussai Abdel Wahab al-Suhail is a member of Sadr's bloc.

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in the first place? I hadn't realized that he was gone.



I tried to get a picture of the guy smiling...
but he was pretty demonized in the west here.

Nothing but scowling, scary shots.

Not.