Iraqi President formally asks Mr. Abadi to form government
According to Reuters, on August 11, Iraqi President Fouad Masoum officially asked Vice President of Parliament Haider al-Abadi, who was recently nominated by the Shi'ite Muslim coalition as prime minister of the country, to form a government.
The move, which comes after months of political turmoil in Iraq, is likely to be opposed by incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who has rejected calls for him to abandon his bid for a third term as prime minister.
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| Mr. Haider al-Abadi. (Source: AFP) |
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The move is likely to deepen the political crisis at a time when Iraq needs a united front against a growing insurgency by Sunni Muslim militants.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said he has no intention of giving up his bid to serve a third term.
On the same day, Mr. al-Abadi called on the people of this country to unite against the "barbaric" campaign carried out by militants of the Islamic State (IS) group across northern Iraq, causing great concern among public opinion at home and abroad.
Speaking on national television shortly after being asked by Iraqi President Fouad Masoum to form a government, Mr. Abadi declared: "We must all cooperate to fight the terrorist campaign launched in Iraq and stop all terrorist groups"./.
According to VNA
