Sunnis and Kurds to boycott dialogue meetings not attended by al-Sadr, source

Shafaq News/ Kurdish and Sunni parties said they would not attend the national dialogue meetings in the absence of the Sadrist movement, a source from inside the Coordination Framework revealed on Thursday.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that the leaders of the Coordination Framework, a consortium of mainly Iran-backed Shiite political forces, will convene later on Thursday in a decisive meeting to discuss the fate of the national dialogue talks amid the heightened friction inside the political arena.

"Major players have notified the Coordination Framework via a verbal message from Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein that Sunni and Kurdish parties would not attend a meeting that the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, does not attend," the source said.

"It seems that talks are underway to revive the Homeland Rescue Coalition,"  the source added, "we hope this helps a breakthrough in the recently locked situation."

Multiple sources reported that caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi opted to adjourn a meeting of the national dialogue, or the Palace talks, that has been scheduled for today.