BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, has all but won Iraq’s parliamentary election, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi’ite leader. The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 91 percent of the votes cast in 16 of Iraq’s 18 provinces. HAIDAR HAMDANI via Getty Images Muqtada al-Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed. Sadr has led two uprisings against U.S. forces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi’ite leaders to distance himself from Iran. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr celebrate the results of the parliamentary election in Baghdad on Sunday.

Source: Huffington Post May 15, 2018 02:53 UTC