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KDP office in Baghdad attacked after tweet sets off firestorm

AM:09:59:28/03/2022

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SULAIMANI — A mob attacked a branch of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Baghdad and set fire to the office after midnight on Monday (March 28) following a tweet from the account of Dr. Naif Kurdistani, a KDP cadre, which was considered insulting to Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

Kurdistani later posted a message on his Twitter page stating his account had been hacked and insisted he was not responsible for the tweet that insulted Sistani.

"I apologize to the position of authority represented by Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in Najaf for a misunderstanding regarding the Marjaiya (Sistani's position),” Kurdistani said.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Interior announced early on Monday an arrest warrant has been issued for Kurdistani.

"Freedom of expression does not mean daring to attack religious and national symbols and insulting them, especially the position of the Marjaiya,” the ministry announced in a statement.

"We affirm that the aforementioned represents only himself,” the ministry stated. "The position of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the people of Kurdistan is clear and explicit in respect and appreciation for the role of the Marjaiya in Iraq and the Islamic world and it will remain so. "

The KDP also made an announcement condemning the tweet and stating Kurdistani has no affiliation with the party.

"His tweet represents his personal opinion and has no connection with our party, which truly believes in peaceful coexistence and respect for beliefs of religions and sects,” the announcement from the party noted.

(NRT Digital Media)