Iraqi Sunni Tribal Leader Sheikh Raad Suleiman: Masked Men Carried out a Large Massacre in Karbala; Iran Is the Source of All Our Problems; Our Politicians Should Resign

Iraqi Sunni tribal leader Sheikh Raad Suleiman, the head of the United Council of Tribes in Iraq, said in a November 4, 2019 interview on Al-Mamlaka TV (Jordan) that Iran has been interfering in Iraq’s political, military, and religious affairs since 2003. Giving an example, he said that 7,500 Iranian guards entered Iran under the pretext of providing protection for Iranian pilgrims. Sheikh Suleiman also said that masked men who didn’t speak any Arabic recently came to Karbala and killed or injured 7,500 Iraqis in the middle of the night. Adding that all of Iraq’s troubles come from Iran and that the slogan of the protestors in Iraq is “Get out, Iran!”, Sheikh Suleiman said that all of Iraq’s politicians should resign quickly, or else the protestors will enter the Green Zone and drag them out.

Following are excerpts:

Sheikh Raad Suleiman: Why does Iran need to interfere [in Iraq’s affairs]? Iran is living off of the Iraqi economy. It interferes in everything politically and militarily. It even interferes in the religious affairs and has imposed its religious practices. It has brought more than 7,500 people from Iran as guards, under the pretext that they would protect the Iranian pilgrims. They said that the [Iraqi] government gave them permission to bring their pilgrims in. This is forbidden all over the world. We protect the pilgrims who come from Jordan, from Saudi Arabia, and from Iran. This is our duty. Why do they bring their own police and army to protect their pilgrims? If you don’t trust me to protect your pilgrims, don’t come here.

[…]

A few days ago, men in ski masks arrived in cars and started killing the people of Karbala. They didn’t speak Arabic. If you gave one of them a glass of water, he wouldn’t drink it. They didn’t speak any Arabic. They slaughtered the people. At 01:20 AM, they withdrew, leaving bodies strewn in the street. 7,500 people were wounded in Karbala. Half of them were badly injured – they will either die or remain handicapped. Iran? All our troubles have come from Iran. Iran has been interfering in Iraq’s affairs since 2003. Our slogan today is “Get out, Iran!” Period. All the politicians should resign within 5-6 days. Take it from me: If they don’t resign, [the protesters] will enter the Green Zone and drag them out.