UPDATED ON:
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
13:47 Mecca time, 10:47 GMT
 
News Middle East
Al-Sadr bloc returns to parliament
The al-Sadr bloc demanded that the al-Askari shrine in the town of Samarra be rebuilt [AFP]
The political bloc of Moqtada al-Sadr has said that it has resumed participation in Iraq's parliament, which it boycotted last month in protest over an attack on a revered Shia mosque.
 
Nassar al-Rubaei, spokesman for the bloc in parliament, said: "Starting from today, we have ended our suspension to the parliament. We are back."
The movement's 32 MPs walked out of parliament after a second bomb attack on a revered Shia shrine in central Iraq, which al-Sadr blamed on the failure of Iraqi security forces protecting it.
 
Tuesday's move was welcomed by the Iraqi parliament.
Acting house speaker, Khalid al-Atiyya, said: "We welcome back the members of the Sadr bloc into the council of parliament to practise their legislative role, especially at this stage."
 
Wave of fighting

Al-Sadr withdrew six ministers from government in April over the refusal of Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, to support a timetable for US withdrawal.

Al-Sadr's bloc also withdrew from parliament for two months in November after al-Maliki met George Bush, the US president, in Amman.

The political bloc of al-Sadr demanded that the al-Askari shrine in the town of Samarra be rebuilt, after its golden dome was blown up in February 2006.

The attack ignited a wave of sectarian fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people.

The group stepped up its protest after the shrine was bombed again in June.

 Source: Agencies
 
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