{
  "id": 13388862,
  "title": "Iraq's Al Sadr seeks statesmanship with push against militias after US withdrawal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/iraqs-al-sadr-seeks-statesmanship-with-push-against-militias-after-us-13388862",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T10:11:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/10/iraqs-al-sadr-seeks-statesmanship-with-push-against-militias-after-us-withdrawal/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr is attempting to position himself as a statesman, seeking to keep Iraq out of regional conflicts and limit Iranian influence. His push follows the US troop withdrawal on September 30. Al Sadr, who once battled American forces, now seeks to dissolve his militia and integrate its members into the government-controlled security apparatus. The cleric's actions aim to disarm armed groups, which have lost a key justification for maintaining their weapons since US forces departed. However, questions remain about how the disarmament process will unfold and the loyalty of these fighters. Al Sadr's vision combines religious leadership with political activism, as he believes clerics should be active in politics. The cleric's political movement, the Sadrists, has distanced itself from mainstream politics, and he has emerged as a nationalist and anti-corruption campaigner. By championing the state's monopoly on force, Al Sadr may be attempting to shield Iraq from regional entanglements and strengthen his status as a national political leader.",
  "summary": "Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr is seeking to reinforce a long-standing Iraqi nationalist platform that aims to keep Baghdad out of regional conflicts and curb Iranian influence, experts and officials have told The National . Mr Al Sadr’s push comes as he called for a new chapter between the US and Iraq following the withdrawal of American troops on September 30. The prominent cleric and former…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Iraq's Al Sadr seeks statesmanship with push against militias after US withdrawal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/iraqs-al-sadr-seeks-statesmanship-with-push-against-militias-after-us",
        "published": "2026-10-10T10:11:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}