Lawmaker in Iraq killed by roadside bomb

The explosion hit the convoy carrying Saleh al-Auqaeili and other Shiite lawmakers from al Sadr’s parliament bloc as it passed about 200 yards from an Iraqi army checkpoint near Baghdad’s main Shiite district of Sadr City, according to one of his colleagues. At least one bystander was also killed in the bombing. Al-Auqaeili was taken to a hospital in Baghdad, where he later died of his wounds, according to Sadrist spokesman Ahmed al Massoudi and a fellow lawmaker, Hassan al-Rubaie.

The U.S. military blamed Shiite extremists for the blast, which occurred shortly before 10 a.m. The attack raised concerns that internal rivalries within political groupings, whether Shiite or Sunni, could emerge ahead of upcoming provincial elections. Internal battles could be a major threat to Iraq’s stability, even as sectarian violence ebbs.

A U.S. commander on Thursday warned that he sees a risk of “nefarious” Iranian meddling in Iraq’s upcoming elections — including the possibility of assassinations. Maj. Gen. Michael Oates, who commands an area south of Baghdad, told reporters he expects an “uptick” in bombings and other attacks, including “assassinating prominent candidates” as the elections approach. His comments were not linked to the al-Auqaeili killing.

Al-Auqaeili was a senior member of al-Sadr’s political bloc, which has 30 seats in the 275 member parliament.

The Shiite cleric’s cease-fire order to his militia has been a key factor in a sharp decline in violence over the past year.

The 37-year-old former professor was known for his moderate stance in the al-Sadr movement, where some factions are pushing for a return to violence, said another Sadrist lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal issues.

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