video transcript

Moqtada al-Sadr prayers for peace in Iraq. The head of a powerful Shi'ite movement attended prayers at a Sunni mosque Friday where he appealed for unity. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SHI'ITE CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR, SAYING: "We would like to prove that Iraq is united by its Shi'ite, Sunni Arabs and Kurds. Iraq is united and every one of you is able to hold responsibility. I am sympathetic to people and to their demands but keep Iraq's unity, and do not call for divisions, as the Sheikh just said. Everybody calls for Iraq's unity. Allah blesses you all." Thousands of Sunnis have taken to the streets in protest against the Shi'ite led government. They are demanding an end to what they see as the marginalization of the Sunni minority. Sadr has said Iraq is not immune to the changes transforming the region