New Iraq PM releases protesters, promotes respected general
Iraq’s judiciary ordered courts on Sunday to release anti-government protesters, carrying out one of the first decisions of the recently inaugurated prime minister just as dozens of demonstrators burned tires in renewed protests against the new leadership. In a press briefing Saturday night following his first Cabinet meeting as premier, al-Kadhimi said demonstrators should be protected and that all protesters should be released, except those involved in violence.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi also promoted a well-respected Iraqi general, who played a key role in the military campaign against the Islamic State, to lead counter-terrorism operations. Lt. Gen. Abdul Wahab al-Saadi was mysteriously demoted last year by former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, prompting outrage and sparking popular protests in northern Iraq and Baghdad.
Al-Kadhimi said he was promoting al-Saadi to become head of Iraq’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service, just as the country was experiencing an uptick in attacks by the Islamic State group in the north. Previously, the general was a force commander in the the service before Abdul-Mahdi demoted him in September to a post in the Defense Ministry. The Iraqi public considered his sudden demotion a sign of corrupt government practices and took to the streets in outrage.
Al-Saadi, 56, was one of the leading commanders in the fight against IS and the battle to retake Mosul, taking the lead in many operations.
https://www.krqe.com/news/world/new-iraq-pm-releases-protesters-promotes-respected-general/
