Iraqi PM appoints new interim interior minister

By Moayad al-Tarafi

BAGHDAD

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has appointed Aqeel al-Khazali, deputy interior minister for administrative and financial affairs, as the country’s acting interior minister until a new minister is appointed on a permanent basis.

Al-Khazali, who replaces outgoing Interior Minister Mohamed al-Ghabban, "will head up the ministry until a new minister can be appointed with the consensus of the political blocs", Majid al-Gharawi, a member of parliament’s security and defense committee, said in a Monday statement.

Last week, al-Ghabban tendered his resignation citing what he described as the widespread failure of the country’s security apparatuses to protect the public, particularly in the capital.

His resignation came only two days after a massive car-bomb attack left almost 300 people dead in Baghdad’s central Karada district.

The bombing, responsibility for which was claimed by the Daesh terrorist group, is regarded as the single deadliest terrorist attack to hit Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the country.

While tendering his resignation, al-Ghabban called on the prime minister to carry out sweeping reforms of Iraq’s security sector.

By Moayad al-Tarafi

BAGHDAD

Last week, al-Ghabban tendered his resignation citing what he described as the widespread failure of the country’s security apparatuses to protect the public, particularly in the capital.

His resignation came only two days after a massive car-bomb attack left almost 300 people dead in Baghdad’s central Karada district.

The bombing, responsibility for which was claimed by the Daesh terrorist group, is regarded as the single deadliest terrorist attack to hit Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the country.

While tendering his resignation, al-Ghabban called on the prime minister to carry out sweeping reforms of Iraq’s security sector.