Powerful nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was leading in Iraq’s parliamentary election with more than half the votes counted, the electoral commission said, a surprise comeback for a Shia leader who had been sidelined by Iran-backed rivals. Mr Sadr has led two uprisings against US forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shia leaders to distance himself from Iran. The same fate could befall Mr Sadr. Mr Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed but had been sidelined by influential Iranian-backed figures. Mr Sadr derives much of his authority from his family.

Source: The Irish Times May 14, 2018 09:22 UTC