Thursday, August 25, 2016

Iraq's Defense Minister Has Been Fired

Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi speaks to the media at an Iraqi army base in Camp Taji in Baghdad, February 21, 2016. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

Reuters: Iraqi defense minister sacked as Mosul battle looms

Iraq's parliament impeached Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi on Thursday over corruption allegations, removing him from office as the army gears up for an assault on Islamic State's de facto capital, Mosul.

Parliament voted 142-102 to withdraw confidence from Obeidi, two lawmakers said, after questioning him this month about weapons contracts. He had denied the corruption allegations and in turn accused Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and five other MPs of wrongdoing.

Obeidi, a Sunni Muslim ally of Shi'ite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, had spearheaded the military campaign to retake territory that the ultra-hardline Sunni Islamic State group seized in 2014 and said he had cut down on graft including ghost soldiers, members of the military who do not exist but whose salaries are collected.

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More News On Iraq's Defense Minister Being Sacked

Iraqi parliament impeaches defense minister -- Al Arabiya/AFP
Iraqi Defense Minister Gets No-Confidence Vote -- New York Times/AP
Iraqi defense minister ousted after losing confidence vote in parliament -- RUDAW
Iraqi Parliament Votes To Dismiss Defense Minister -- RFE
Iraqi defense minister Obeidi sacked -- Iraqi News
Iraqi parliament passes vote of no-confidence against defense chief -- Global Times

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