Shafaq News- Baghdad (Updated at 14:34)
Muqtada Al-Sadr, leader of Iraq's Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM), urged Iraqis on Friday to rally behind Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi's anti-corruption drive, arguing that the government's recent crackdown had unnerved corrupt figures.
During a unified Friday sermon in Baghdad and other provinces, Al-Sadr called for peaceful gatherings in support of the reform effort and "the soldier of reform," Ali Al-Zaidi, calling on participants to bolster his campaign against "corrupt figures who are trying to influence him after the raids that have terrified many inside and outside the country."
"We have always been advocates of reform, and we share nothing with the corrupt, not even the love of Imam Hussein [the third Shia Imam and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad]," Al-Sadr declared, blaming those he identified as "the corrupt" for any harm that might befall Al-Zaidi or "all those working to restore the dignity of the nation."
Supporters gathered in Baghdad and several other provinces after the sermon, chanting slogans endorsing the government's crackdown and urging authorities to continue pursuing corruption and reinforcing state institutions.
Salah al-Obeidi, a PSM representative, told Shafaq News that Al-Sadr had committed at the start of the government's formation to monitoring its performance for 90 days, particularly on anti-corruption, and that recent actions —including the removal of previously untouchable figures and the seizure of large sums of money— met that benchmark.
Former PSM lawmaker, Sabah al-Saedi, stressed that no red lines exist in the anti-corruption campaign. The peaceful gathering, he told Shafaq News, was a direct response to Al-Sadr's call to support the Prime Minister, adding that the campaign must continue and reach "all corrupt figures without exception, regardless of their affiliation."
Iraqi authorities launched the “Dawn Crackdown” on June 28 under the direction of Al-Zaidi. A source familiar with the operation previously told Shafaq News that authorities detained 67 people during the first 24 hours, while another source said the first phase targets more than 200 figures within 72 hours, as part of a wider six-month track to fight corruption and recover public money.
Read more: Iraq detains top officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far