In northern Afghanistan, hundreds of Shiite Muslims joined an uprising led by a former Taliban commander. Times journalists spent time with the rebels massed to defend themselves.
Tag: Shiite Muslims
Iraq Power Struggle Intensifies as Protesters Block Parliament
Followers of the Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr set up a tent city to blockade Parliament, paralyzing any progress toward forming a new government.
Followers of Iraqi Cleric Occupy Parliament Again, Demanding Reforms
Unable to form a government 10 months after elections, Iraq has been roiled by the street protests of the nationalist cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who withdrew from the government but again seeks to influence it.
Explosion at Afghan Mosque Kills at Least 10
The blast in Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s economic hubs, was the latest in a series of attacks on one of its religious minorities and was claimed by an ISIS affiliate.
Iraq Confirms Election Gains for Muqtada al-Sadr
A court certified October’s parliamentary vote that gave Muqtada al-Sadr’s party a plurality of seats, clearing a path for a government to be formed.
The String of ISIS Attacks That Killed Three Generations of One Afghan Family
Over two weeks, the Rajabis suffered loss after loss as suicide attacks on Shiite mosques in two parts of the country ravaged their family.
Iran Wanted U.S. Out of Afghanistan. It May Be Sorry the Wish Came True.
Iran is glad the Americans are gone, but the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan creates a host of problems for Tehran, with no easy solutions.
After Iraqi Election, a Shiite Leader Emerges as an Unlikely U.S. Ally
The U.S. once threatened to kill Muqtada al-Sadr as his militia battled occupying forces. Now, the powerful cleric is helping Washington by keeping Iran at bay.
Beirut, a City Where Everyone Gets By, Revisits Sectarian Violence
Lebanon’s capital thrives on its religious diversity, but sectarian tensions and memories of civil war lurk just beneath the surface.
Deadly Clashes in Beirut Escalate Fears Over Lebanon’s Dysfunction
The fighting further traumatized the small Mediterranean country, a patchwork of sects that has tumbled into an abyss of devastating political and economic crises.