Alwaght- No doubt that the successive crises in region today come as a result of the US policies, which usually result in only devastation and division. The Iraqi crisis, namely the elimination of the terrorist organization ISIS, is consider a manifestation of these policies. In this context came the sudden stances of Egypt's Al-Azhar Institute, which illustrates the size of the conspiracy against Iraq. So what is in the Al-Azhar’s stances? What feedbacks did it have?
Al-Azhar Institute in a recent statement claimed that the "Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces have killed a number of peaceful Iraqi citizens and violated their rights".
The comments were met with great criticism by the Iraqi security and political leaders. The Iraqi authorities responded to these allegations through the Deputy Head of Al-Anbar Provincial Council Faleh al-Issawi. Al-Issawi told reporters on Monday : "Al-Azhar is known for its moderate stances and fighting against radical thoughts, but its recent statement has been based on fake and misleading reports which has been given to the Egyptian religious institute by misled (Iraqi) politicians or religious scholars."
Al-Issawi also welcomed the presence of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces in Al-Anbar province to purge the terrorists of the province, and said, "The fight against Takfiri terrorists in al-Anbar is a national battle."
On Saturday, the Iraqi Vice President Nuri al-Maliki called on al-Azhar to reconsider its stance towards Iraqi popular forces, which are backing the Arab country's army in its fight against ISIS militants. Al-Maliki said that al-Azhar statement was shocking and included serious accusations for the popular forces that include Shiite and Sunni fighters, and represent a national unity disputing ISIS terrorism.
Al-Maliki stressed in his statement that al-Azhar must rely on authentic sources of information, away from the clerics who aim at stirring the sedition in the whole country. The ex-Prime Minister added that al-Azhar fell in ISIL's trap as it was involved in the sectarian propaganda, which aims at harming Islam and the Muslims, instead of contributing to the Islamic unity.
Days after al-Azhar’s statements, Sheikh al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb, the head of the Institute, announced his readiness to visit Iraq to meet with religious authority in the city of Najaf. Al-Tayeb said in press statements, “I am ready to go to Iraq and hold talks with senior clerics in the country in order to promote rapprochement between Sunnis and Shiites and discuss the fight against terrorist groups like ISIS.”
The Popular Mobilization Forces, is an umbrella organization composed of Shiite and Sunni militias raised and deployed against the ISIS in 2015 alongside Iraqi security forces. The forces were formed after Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali al-Sistani’s fatwa on righteous jihad following the fall of Mosul in June 2014. The popular forces are carrying offenses against ISIS troops and militants in different parts of Iraq regardless of any sectarian accounts. The Popular Mobilization Forces have been involved in several battles of the military intervention against ISIS, the most important being the battle of Tikrit, and the sieging of terrorists in Mosul.
