ABOVE: The Foreign Minister of Iraq’s Kurdish region said the Kurds are willing to cooperate with the newly-formed government in Baghdad
Iraqi lawmakers are urging the country’s new prime minister to quickly assign the critical posts of defence and interior minister which will spearhead domestic efforts to combat the violent Sunni militant advance.
Addressing lawmakers late Monday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi requested an additional week for the selection of these positions.
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Sunni lawmaker Hamid al-Mutlaq expressed Tuesday his concern over the vacant posts, calling on al-Abadi’s government to “prove its credibility and good intentions.” Salim al-Muslimawi, a Shiite lawmaker from Babil province, said any further delay in naming a defence and interior minister risks making the government appear weak and divided.
The United States launched airstrikes in Iraq on Aug. 8 in hopes of boosting the waning efforts of Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting militants with the Islamic State group.
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