Hand grenade thrown at police in Iraqi capital, nine injured

At least nine police officers have sustained injuries after a grenade was hurled at security forces in the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, as a wave of protests over unemployment, corruption and lack of public services continue in the country.

Major General Abdul Karim Khalaf, the spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, told the official Iraqi News Agency on Wednesday that the attack took place on police forces stationed at a checkpoint on historic al-Rasheed Street and close to the Central Bank of Iraq.

Khalaf added that four security personnel were critically injured in the attack.

Iraqi parliament calls on President Salih to nominate PM candidate in 15 days

Meanwhile, the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Mohamed al-Halbousi, appealed on Wednesday to President Barham Salih to nominate a new prime minister within 15 days.

“Based on Article 76 of the Constitution, I call [on the president] to appoint a candidate for the prime minister’s post within 15 days,” Halbousi said.

Iraq’s parliament on Sunday formally accepted Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi’s resignation.

Iraq’s parliament approves prime minister’s resignation

Iraq’s parliament approves the resignation of Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, which came after top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged the parliament to “reconsider” its support for the incumbent government.

Abdul-Mahdi had submitted his resignation to the legislature a day earlier, following weeks of protests demanding he step down. 

The 77-year-old Iraqi politician had announced in a statement on Friday that he will submit his resignation to parliament amid anti-government demonstrations.

“I will submit to parliament an official memorandum resigning from the current prime ministry so that parliament can review its choices,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani had urged lawmakers to reconsider their support for the government.

Ayatollah Sistani warns of enemy plot seeking to create civil strife, bring back 'era of dictatorship'

Iraq

“We call upon the House of Representatives from which this current government emerged to reconsider its options in that regard,” Ayatollah Sistani said in a statement read out by his representative Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalaei during a weekly sermon in the holy city of Karbala.

Abdul-Mahdi said he had “listened with great concern” to the sermon, and made his decision in response to the revered cleric’s call and in order to “facilitate and hasten its fulfillment as soon as possible.”

Nearly two months of protests have rocked primarily the capital city of Baghdad and southern areas of Iraq.

Anti-government protests flare up in Iraqi cities

Iraqis have held new anti-government protests across the country amid persisting discontent over economic conditions.

The protesters have expressed frustration with the failing economy and have demanded political and anti-corruption reforms.

The rallies have, however, turned into violent confrontations in numerous occasions, with reports alleging that certain foreign-backed elements have been seeking to wreak havoc in the country.

Since October 1, more than 300 people have been killed in the country, according to the Iraqi parliament’s human rights commission.

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