"They targeted us with mortars:" Iraqi cleric Sadr calls off violent protests in Baghdad

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Supporters of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr followed his orders to end their protests within the hour in central Baghdad on Tuesday morning, following a night of violent clashes between an armed group loyal to Sadr and rival Shiite Muslim factions backed by Iran.

“What can I tell you? Our leader ordered us to withdraw. We did. They targeted us with mortars, they were firing mortars at us,” one of his supporters said as he left the protests.

Monday’s clashes between rival factions of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim majority follow 10 months of political deadlock since the country's October parliamentary election, which have raised fears of escalating unrest.

Sadr emerged as the main winner of the election but failed in his efforts to form government.

This week’s violence erupted after Sadr said he would withdraw from all political activity, a decision he said was in response to the failure of other Shiite leaders and parties to reform a corrupt and decaying government system.

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