Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's comments, relayed by a representative during Friday prayers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, come as Iraqi forces backed by the militias are carrying out a large-scale offensive to retake IS-held Sunni city of Tikrit.
Al-Sistani's spokesman Ahmed al-Safi also urged authorities to pay outstanding salaries to many Shiite militiamen, adding that such delays were "unacceptable."
The Iranian-backed Shiite militias have played a crucial role in regaining territory from the Islamic State group, supporting Iraq's embattled military and police forces in battle. U.S. officials estimate that as many as 20,000 militiamen may be involved in the ongoing Tikrit operations.
There is a call for humanitarian aid for refugees in Lebanon.
March 11, 2015
...Possessions of any kind (click here) for refugees and internally displaced people are few and far between; most fled their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back.
Possessions may no longer hold importance to the Syrians and Iraqis who've lost so much, but there is still plenty that they treasure....
