Saudi Dissident Leader:

Riyadh Supporting ISIL in Iraq through Envoy

Rasa - A prominent Saudi dissident leader living in the UAE disclosed that Riyadh is supporting the ISIL terrorist group in Iraq with the help of its Ambassador to Baghdad Thamer al-Sabhan.

News ID: 423221

Date: 04 September 2016 - 23:53

RNA - "Saudi Arabia is sponsoring the ISIL through Samer al-Sabhan, the country's ambassador to Baghdad," Abu Yousef, also the former prayers leader of Riyadh Grand Mosque, wrote on his twitter page on Sunday.

He said that Sabhan is supporting the ISIL in Iraq to please Saudi King Salman, adding that Sabhan is betraying Iraq through his presence in Baghdad.

Abu Yousef called on the Iraqi government to cut its relations with Riyadh as soon as possible to prevent more losses.

Last Sunday, the Iraqi foreign ministry called on Saudi Arabia to change al-Sabhan.

"Baghdad has asked Riyadh to replace its ambassador al-Sabhan with another envoy," the Arabic-language al-Soumeriya News quoted Iraqi Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmad Jamal as saying.

In mid-June, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ebrahim al-Jafari announced that al-Sabhan was interfering in Iraq's internal affairs and what he did was beyond his ambassadorial duties.

Al-Jafari slammed Saudi ambassador's remarks about Iran’s role in the Arab country, including its advisory assistance to fight Takfiri militants.

Al-Jafari's remarks came in reaction to al-Sabhan's meddling in his country's internal affairs.

"The Saudi envoy's comments represent flagrant meddling in Iraq's domestic affairs and run counter to standard diplomatic norms,” al-Jafari said.

In a Twitter post, Sabhan wrote that Iranian military advisers were in Fallujah to incite sectarian violence and change the demographic composition of the city.

The Saudi ambassador's repeated meddling in Iraq's internal affairs came after Iraqi troops retook Fallujah from the Saudi-backed ISIL militants on Friday and prepared to retake Mosul, the last Takfiri bastion in the country.

The Iraqi foreign ministry summoned Sabhan “to inform him of its official protest regarding his divisive statements.” The ministry said Baghdad would not allow anyone to stoke divisions in the country through making sectarian comments.

Baghdad also said it would not allow Riyadh to draw Iraq into the kingdom's conflict with Tehran.

Iraqi officials have at times stated that Iranian military advisers are in the Arab country at the request of Baghdad.

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