Top cleric al-Sistani urges Shiites to protect Sunnis
Najaf, 28 November 2007 (Voices of Iraq)
Top Shiite Cleric Ali al-Sistani urged Shiites to protect their Sunni brothers and defend them, head of south Iraq’s scholars body said on Tuesday.
Shiekh Khaled al-Mulla said at a press conference held in Najaf after the visit made by a delegation of Sunni and Shiite clerics to al-Sistani, “The top cleric asserted on the sanctity of Iraq’s blood, urging Shiites to protect and defend Sunnis.”
Sistani said in the two-hour meeting “I’m a servant for all Iraqis and there is no difference between Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, or Christians.”
“Sistani also warned Iraq’s clerics of enemies’ plots to differentiate between Iraqis,” Sheikh Mulla said.
Preparations are currently underway to hold the first national meeting between Shiite and Sunni clerics in the city of Najaf. The delegation consisted of clerics from Iraq’s Kurdistan, Basra, al-Nasriyah, and Falluja.
Najaf lies 180 km south of Baghdad.