By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has vowed during a visit to Karbala City to track down those who started the riots and chaos among Iraqis during recent religious rites.
Maliki’s arrival to the city under heavy security Wednesday coincided with deployment of Iraqi forces across the city after riots broke out during a Shiite religious rites earlier in the week.
A statement by Maliki’s office revealed that the Iraqi premier ordered the forces to “firmly” stop all acts suggesting or encouraging sabotage at religious sites. He further said such acts at such sites are acts of sacrilege.
“Karbala City is now under control with police and army units upholding the law and security,” said the statement. It also indicated that all those involved in breaking the law would pay for their actions.
Riots and acts of violence had been reported in the city, holy to the Shiites, over the past two days resulting in the death and injury of scores of Shiites who were performing a religious rite commemorating the birth of Imam Al-Mahdi, the 12th Imam of Shiite Muslims.