Iraqi Prime Minister dismisses 26 military commanders

On November 13, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi dismissed 26 military commanders for corruption and incompetence.

The cleanup of the military leadership is part of the Iraqi government's efforts to confront Islamic State militants.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi - Photo: Karim Kadim/AP

“Commanders need to show courage to motivate their subordinates and soldiers to fight against the rebels,” Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said. “The election of the military leadership is not an easy task at the moment. The election will be based on three criteria. The first and most important criterion is competence, we cannot appoint someone who is not capable of doing the job well. The second is integrity, not corruption.”

Previously, Shia Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said that corruption in the armed forces had helped the Islamic State militants easily capture large areas of Iraq. The Islamic State militants captured many areas without encountering any significant resistance from the US-trained military forces. Reforming and restructuring the military is considered important for long-term stability in Iraq./.

According to VOV