Najaf Friday prayer leader warns of impact of parliamentary disputes on liberation of Mosul

Rasa – Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi warned of the impact and negative effects of the disputes that have taken place in Iraq’s parliament as Iraqi forces and its allies prepare a launch a massive operation to purge ISIL from Mosul.

News ID: 422648

Date: 06 August 2016 - 13:27

RNA – During his Friday prayer sermon delivered to a large and fervent crowd of believers in the Iraqi city of Najaf’s al-Fatimiyah al-Kubra Husayniyah, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Sadruddin al-Qubanchi warned of the impact and negative effects of the disputes that have taken place in Iraq’s parliament as Iraqi forces and its allies prepare a launch a massive operation to purge ISIL from Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the last remaining bastion for the Takfiri terrorist group in north of the country.

In regard to allegations of corruption in weapons deals which prompted the office of Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi to impose a travel ban on several parliamentary officials accused of involvement in the matter, the Iraqi cleric said it is the right of the parliament to impeach officials and officials also have the right to defend themselves but we stress that these issues should not supersede the operation to liberate Mosul, the dissolution of parliament or the issue of corruption.

“The current conflict in parliament is very dangerous and we need God’s assistance,” he said.

Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi stressed that the ratification of legislation to ban the Ba’ath Party from participating in political activities is a victory for the will of the Iraqi nation and said that elections protect Iraq’s unity, eliminate civil and sectarian wars and noted that “this ban is not revenge or retaliation.”

His Eminence offered his congratulations on the liberation of the strategic city of al-Khalidiyah in al-Anbar province from ISIL forces and stated that Iraqi forces are preparing to liberate Mosul but added that at the same time, they should pay attention to the needs of the tens of thousands of displaced people and prepare accommodations for them.

Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi appealed to the international community and the Arab world to assist the displaced people and refugees and to establish a fund to support them and rebuild the devastated areas which have been liberated from ISIL.

He praised the initiative of the office of the supreme Shi’a authority in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali al-Sistani, to build 300 residential apartments to house displaced people.

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