The leader of the Sheikh sect in Iraq denied the existence of any sectarian motives behind the armed attack that targeted the Sheikh Mujtaba Mosque in the city district, north of Basra Governorate, stressing that the incident resulted from personal disputes between members of the Sheikh school itself.

The sect’s leader said in a statement issued after the incident, “What happened does not represent the sect, does not reflect its approach, and does not carry any sectarian or religious dimension,” explaining that “the causes of the incident are private and personal, as interests previously brought the two parties together and then differences separated them.”

This came after reports circulated of an armed attack that took place inside the Sheikh Mujtaba Mosque in the city district, while a number of followers of the Sheikh sect were present, resulting in the killing of two people and the wounding of five others with varying injuries, according to local sources.

The statement, which was issued by the Office of the Custodian of Scholars and Peaceful People, Mr. Ali Al-Moussawi, added that those responsible for it “are innocent of every criminal or hostile act that does not please God,” calling for “not to exploit the incident to stir up strife or incitement through social media sites.”

The statement also stressed the need to “leave provocative posts and comments that may lead to expanding the circle of tension,” calling on the concerned authorities to confine the issue to its legal and personal framework, away from generalizations or introducing the sectarian dimension.

The leader of the Sheikh sect offered his condolences to the families of the victims, calling for mercy for the killed, healing for the wounded, and averting evil from the people of Basra Governorate and Iraq in general.