. | . |
Iraq cleric Sadr wants 'inclusive' coalition formed soon by Staff Writers Baghdad (AFP) May 21, 2018 Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr called for an "inclusive" government to be formed quickly, as he sounded out the heads of key parliament factions over a coalition after his shock election win. The Shiite preacher's Marching Towards Reform alliance scooped 54 seats in an upset at May 12 polls to become the biggest bloc in Iraq's 329-seat parliament. But Sadr -- whose militia battled American troops after the 2003 US-led invasion -- faces a mammoth task to stitch together a working majority as his demands for less foreign influence in Iraq have stirred tensions with both Washington and Tehran. In a bid to jumpstart negotiations, Sadr met over the weekend with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose group finished third, and Hadi al-Ameri, whose bloc of pro-Iranian former fighters came second. After the meetings, the cleric urged "the formation of an inclusive government as quickly as possible" and called for a "nationwide political decision", his office said in a statement Sunday. Sadr -- whose fighters were once accused of sectarian killings -- has reinvented himself as an anti-graft crusader looking to bridge Iraqi society in alliance with secular leftists. The election saw a record number of abstentions as Iraqis snubbed the corruption-tarnished elite that has dominated the country since the 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein. It is still far from certain that Sadr, who has ruled himself out of becoming the new premier, will be able to ensure his bloc comes to power. Whoever emerges at the helm will face the huge job of rebuilding a country left shattered just five months after the defeat of the Islamic State group.
Nearly a year since fall of Iraq's Mosul, hunt for bodies goes on Mosul, Iraq (AFP) May 21, 2018 Atop an enormous mound of rubble under blistering sun in Iraq's second city Mosul, fire crews and police chip away at a grim but vital task. Some 10 months after dislodging the Islamic State group, they are still extracting bodies from the ruins of the shattered Old City. "Over three days, 763 bodies have been pulled from the rubble and buried," Lieutenant Colonel Rabie Ibrahim tells AFP. Despite the overpowering stench, the men work relentlessly, braving unexploded munitions in an area deva ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |