Radical Shi’ite “Moqtada al-Sadr, the leader of Iraq’s Sadrist movement, has returned to the country after three years in exile in Iran and less than a fortnight after his backing helped usher in a new Iraqi government. The vehemently anti-western cleric arrived in the Shia holy city of Najaf this afternoon. His surprise return came without fanfare or an announcement.”
– Martin Chulov, “Moqtada al-Sadr Returns to Iraq After Exile,” The Guardian, Jan. 5, 2011