Iraq’s top cleric warns division enables ISIS to return
Iraq’s top Shia cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in a Friday sermon delivered by a spokesperson at the city of Karbala, warned that political divisions in the country could lead to the terrorists’ resurgence.
“The continuation of conflicts over gains and bounties among those in power, the ongoing tribal sectarian, regional and political problems…could enable ISIS remnants to return and find environs at aggrieved and indignant people”.
He warned that the group could make use of political divisions in the country to make a comeback.
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.