Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday announced the dismissal of the head of the powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, which played a major role in stinging defeats of the Islamic State jihadist group.

The prime minister in a statement reproached the force's head Falih Alfayyadh for "having been implicated in partisan political matters which contravene the rules of neutrality which apply to members of the security and intelligence forces",

Alfayyadh, 62, was also dismissed from his position as national security advisor.

Despite being on the PM's electoral list ahead of legislative polls that took place in May, the prime minister suspected Alfayyadh of negotiating behind his back with rival Hadi al-Ameri as post-election talks were underway.

The Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) auxiliary force was created by the government in 2014, after a call to jihad by the spiritual leader of the Shiite community, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani to help in the fight against IS.

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Car bomb kills 11 in west Iraq after IS chief jihad call
Ramadi, Iraq (AFP) Aug 29, 2018
A suicide bomber killed at least 11 people in Iraq on Wednesday in an attack that underscored the threat still posed by the Islamic State group despite a string of defeats. The assailant blew up a vehicle at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Al-Qaim, one of the last towns in Iraq to be recaptured from IS, near the Syrian border. Five members of the security forces were among 11 people killed in the blast, which also wounded 16 other people, mostly civilians, police Captain Mahmud Jassem told AFP. ... read more