Sadr commanders flee crackdown in Iraq

ByRoula Khalaf and Steve Negus, Financial Times

Iraqi officials on Friday reported an "exodus" of commanders from the Shia Mahdi army, as armed groups seek to protect themselves from the US military crackdown in Baghdad and preserve their organisations. Mystery has swirled over the whereabouts of Moqtada al-Sadr, the fiery cleric whose Mahdi army is accused by the US of a leading role in the sectarian violence that has devastated the capital. Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, late on Thursday said Mr Sadr, whose group is a partner in the governing Shia coalition, had ordered his commanders to leave Iraq to facilitate the US operation in the city. A senior Iraqi official told the FT yesterday that there has been an "exodus" of commanders over recent days, and that Mr Sadr is likely to have travelled to Iran, though he had no idea how long he would stay there. Iranian officials say they have no comment on Mr Sadr's whereabouts..

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