Iraq: Forces Advance towards Hit, PM Seeks New Cabinet Approval
Local Editor
Iraq's counter-terrorism forces backed by army troops advanced towards the western town of Hit Thursday in an attempt to dislodge Daesh [the Arabic acronym for the terrorist "ISIS" group] militants.
A senior officer from the counter-terrorism forces, the elite units which led the recapture of nearby Ramadi three months ago, said troops were one kilometer from the town center, 130 km west of the capital Baghdad.
The recapture of Hit would push Daesh further west towards the Syrian border, cutting a connection to the northern town of Samarra' and leaving Fallujah their only stronghold near the capital.
Meanwhile, Baghdad had success in pushing back the militants in recent months and pledged to retake the northern city of Mosul later this year, but progress has often been fitful.
On the political level, the country's premier Haidar al-Abadi is due to seek parliamentary approval for a cabinet reshuffle Thursday amid mounting pressure for political reform.
A number of parliamentarians from across Iraq's political spectrum threatened to pull out of the scheduled vote if their demands are not met, suggesting PM may miss the deadline set by lawmakers to submit his ministerial nominations.
The parliamentary vote comes as thousands of followers of Sayye Muqtada al-Sadr continue a sit-in outside the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, calling for political reform and an end to corruption.
In August, al-Abadi proposed a sweeping reform package to combat corruption, cut government spending and merge ministries, but his efforts have been thwarted by sectarian tensions and struggles to contain Daesh.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
Comments
- Related News
