BAGHDAD-
Moqtada Sadr , an Iraqi radical Shia cleric announced his retirement from politics, in a handwritten note posted on his website.
The statement said he would not hold future government positions or have any representatives in parliament.
The statement added he was shutting down all his offices except for some charities.
Sadr and his militia group, the Mehdi Army, gained prominence after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
But the 40-year-old lost ground in recent years following a dispute with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Born into a religious Shia family, the cleric stimulated anti-US sentiment in sermons and public interviews after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein eleven years ago.
His followers clashed repeatedly with US forces.
An arrest warrant was issued for Mr Sadr in 2004 in connection with the murder of a rival cleric.
His militia was also blamed for the abduction, torture and killing of thousands of Sunnis in the sectarian carnage of 2006 and 2007.
The cleric fled to Iran during that period.
In 2008, his Mehdi Army militia clashed with the Iraqi army, commanded by Prime Minister Maliki.
The group disbanded and Sadr made a truce with Prime Minister Maliki and helped him to secure a second term in office in 2010.
The Sadr bloc became closely involved in the new government and obtained several ministerial posts following the election.
In 2011, Sadr returned from his self-imposed exile to Iraq, taking a more conciliatory tone and calling for Iraqi unity and peace.
Comments are closed.