When hostilities broke out in Anbar province at the beginning of the year, many wondered why prominent Sunni cleric Abdul-Malik al-Saadi had chosen to keep quiet. Saadi became known during the Sunni demonstrations in 2013 as the spiritual mentor of the leaders of the clans’ demonstrations.

However, Saadi’s role in the recent battles has been unclear. He also did not give an opinion about the initiatives put forward over the last two months aimed at resolving the crisis.

His last official statement, referred to as Statement No. 40, was posted on his official website on Dec. 30, 2013, hours after the clashes broke out. He called on the people and clans of Anbar to defend their city, urged the security agencies to withdraw from the confrontation and called on residents to donate weapons to the “mujahedeen.”

Before that, in Statement No. 39, issued the same day, he urged the people of Anbar to defend “their faith, their land and their honor.” He also called on the local governments in the Sunni cities and on the Sunni deputies and ministers to resign, and on the army to ignore the order to fight in Anbar.