Iraqi Sunni Muslims close the front gates of the Omar Al-Mukhtar Mosque in Baghdad’s Al-Karkh neighborhood following a decision made by senior Sunni religious leaders to close, until further notice, all Sunni mosques which have recently been targeted by attacks. — AFP





BAGHDAD — Iraqi Sunni religious leaders said on Saturday that they have decided to close down their mosques in Baghdad indefinitely to protest attacks targeting clerics and worshipers, highlighting the country’s deepening sectarian rift.



Sheikh Mustafa Al-Bayati, member of the Iraqi Doctrine Council where senior Sunni scholars sit to issue religious edicts, says the decision was taken on Thursday and came into effect on Saturday.



Many mosques appeared to comply with the closure. At Baghdad’s Sunni northern district of Azamiya, a banner at the closed gate of Abu Hanifa Mosque read:



“The mosque is closed until further notice because of the targeting of imams, preachers and worshipers.”



Sunnis, who dominated the government of Iraq for most of its modern history, believe that the majority-Shiite leaders who came into the ascendancy after the 2003 US-led invasion have treated them like second-class citizens.



Sunni discontent has mounted after a bloody April raid by security forces on a protest camp in country’s north.



Political violence has since spiked, claiming at least 5,500 lives according to the United Nations figures, although overall death tolls are still lower than at the height of the conflict in 2004-2008. — AP