Iraqi gov’t sacks intelligence chief, state TV head

By Ali Jawwad

BAGHDAD

The Iraqi government on Tuesday sacked the country’s intelligence chief and seven other officials, a cabinet source has said.

Zuhair al-Gharbawi, head of Iraq’s intelligence agency, and state TV chief Mohamed Abdel-Gabbar were both relieved from their posts, the source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.

Six others officials were also sacked, the same source said.

According to a statement signed by the head of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s office, Abdel-Gabbar was forced into retirement.

The statement went on to note that Abdel-Gabbar would be replaced as state TV chief by Faisal Radi.

Tuesday’s raft of dismissals came during a cabinet meeting, which was attended by Kurdish government ministers following a one-month boycott.

Iraq has been embroiled in a political crisis since April, when supporters of firebrand Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr staged a series of protests aimed at pressuring al-Abadi to form a government of "technocrats" untainted by corruption or sectarian bias.