Al-Sadr castigates 'Audacious Militias' in fiery audio broadcast

Shafaq News / In an incensed audio broadcast aired on Sunday evening, the leader of the Sadrist Movement, Moqtada al-Sadr, berated groups he described as "audacious militias" and individuals he accused of ideological deviation, labelling them as "overzealous in their love" for him.

Al-Sadr, in his audio recording, said, "I have imposed upon myself this time to make the recording audio, not video, to make the message more eloquent. I am not one who denies the favour of the lovers, the obedient, and the sincere. I am still a lover, sincere, and servant to them. This is what our fathers and ancestors have taught us, but I fear for you a gloomy, dismal day."

He added, "I want to exonerate the sincere from the actions of the deviants, the corrupt, and those with deviant beliefs who claim to be of the al-Sadr family or claim that I am Imam Mahdi. This is a false, baseless, and dangerous statement. I am nothing but Moqtada, son of Mohammed, son of Mohammed Sadiq, son of Mohammed Mahdi, son of Ismail al-Sadr."

Al-Sadr further highlighted that the most effective punishment for such "hypocritical rabble" and their backers among the "corrupt and audacious militias" is the suspension of all mourning ceremonies marking the assassination of his father for this year.

"The best punishment for these hypocritical factions and those who support them from the corrupt and audacious militias is to deprive everyone of holding mourning ceremonies in remembrance of the assassination of my father this year," al-Sadr pronounced in his audio message.