Click to view graphic of the demonstrations in Sadr City. Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Mahdi Army and the Sadrist political movement, has ordered the formation of "cells to resist the occupation," according to a statement read at Sadr's mosques on Friday. The news comes as US forces continue to target the Mahdi Army command structure and Sadr's planned demonstrations against the status of forces talks draw few protesters. Sadr said a new organization, separate from the Mahdi Army, would be formed. The new organization will strike exclusively at US and Coalition forces in Iraq, and not target Iraqi security forces. The Mahdi Army would be transformed into an organization that focuses on "religious, social and cultural affairs" that will "fight the Western ideology and liberate the minds from domination and globalization," according to a translation of Sadr's statement obtained by CNN . "The resistance will be exclusively conducted by only one group," Sadr said. "This new group will be defined soon by me. The weapons will be held exclusively by this new group, and they should be pointed exclusively at the occupier. We will not stop resisting the occupation until liberation or martyrdom." Sadr's political office confirmed the letter and said the statement is in line with the Sadrist political movement's ideology. "The declaration by Sayyed Muqtada al Sadr to form cells to resist the occupation comes in full conformity with the ...
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Click to view graphic of the demonstrations in Sadr City. Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Mahdi Army and the Sadrist political movement, has ordered the formation of "cells to resist the occupation," according to a statement read at Sadr's mosques on Friday. The news comes as US forces continue to target the Mahdi Army command structure and Sadr's planned demonstrations against the status of forces talks draw few protesters. Sadr said a new organization, separate from the Mahdi Army, would be formed. The new organization will strike exclusively at US and Coalition forces in Iraq, and not target Iraqi security forces. The Mahdi Army would be transformed into an organization that focuses on "religious, social and cultural affairs" that will "fight the Western ideology and liberate the minds from domination and globalization," according to a translation of Sadr's statement obtained by CNN . "The resistance will be exclusively conducted by only one group," Sadr said. "This new group will be defined soon by me. The weapons will be held exclusively by this new group, and they should be pointed exclusively at the occupier. We will not stop resisting the occupation until liberation or martyrdom." Sadr's political office confirmed the letter and said the statement is in line with the Sadrist political movement's ideology. "The declaration by Sayyed Muqtada al Sadr to form cells to resist the occupation comes in full conformity with the ...