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BGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's top Shiite cleric is giving support to the new government battling the Islamic State group.
This, as a wave of deadly attacks on the country's Shiite community has killed more than 40 people today.
The country's prime minister met today with the top Shiite cleric in the southern city of Najaf. He said after their talks that Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (ah-lee ahl-hoo-SAY'-nee ahl-sih-STAH'-nee) welcomed the recent formation of the government that Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi (HY'-dahr ahl ah-BAH'-dee) now leads.
The meeting carried symbolic significance because al-Sistani has shunned politicians in recent years to protest how they run the country.
Today's attacks killed dozens in Baghdad and the Shiite holy city of Karbala.
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APPHOTO BKM101: People look for their loved ones in front of al-Khairat Mosque after a suicide bomber blew himself up among Shiite worshippers after midday prayers as they were leaving the mosque, killing and wounding tens of people, in a commercial area of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. Militants unleashed attacks on Iraq's majority Shiite community on Monday the latest in relentless assaults that have challenged the Shiite-led government as it battles the Sunni-led insurgency by the Islamic State group. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed) (20 Oct 2014)
<<APPHOTO BKM101 (10/20/14)££
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