Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi attended on Wednesday the funeral ceremony of one of his top bodyguards, who was killed in clashes with the Shiite militia of Saraya al-Salam (Peace Brigades) earlier on Tuesday.

In a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Alghad Press, the Iraqi defense ministry said, “Brig. Gen. Sherif Ismail el-Morshedy, the commander of the 57th brigade of Abadi’s protection service, breathed his last while on duty after undisciplined personnel shot him dead near a central checkpoint in Samarra.”

Abadi offered condolences to the martyr’s family and ordered a probe to be opened into his death.

He also praised sacrifices made by the late commander in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.

According to the statement, the funeral ceremony was held at the defense ministry’s headquarters in the presence of Defense Minister Erfan al-Hiyali.

Commenting on the incident, Saraya al-Salam blamed Abadi’s guards for the death of Morshedy after they attacked its personnel deployed at a security checkpoint between Samarra and Tikrit in Salahuddin.

In December, Muqtada al-Sadr, the head of the Sadrist Movement, announced disbanding Saraya al-Salam brigade, urging the members to evacuate its headquarters and turn in their weapons to the government.

The brigade took part in the summer of 2014 in the liberation of Salahuddin and Samarra from Islamic State militants. </s> Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Sunday "victory" over Islamic State in the city of Mosul, his office said.

"The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people for the great victory," said a statement from his office. </s> (IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – General Commander of Iraqi Armed forces and Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, announced on Monday launching the battle to liberate Mosul from the ISIS grip, and pointed out that the security forces that will participate in the battle are Iraqi army, police and national police.

Prime Minister Haider Abadi said in a speech on state TV, “I announce today the start of the heroic operations to free you from the terror and the oppression of Daesh (ISIS).”

“We will meet soon on the ground of Mosul to celebrate liberation and your salvation,” Abadi added.

Abadi also called the people of Mosul to cooperate with the security forces, and emphasized that the battle will be handled by the Iraqi army and national police only.

Nearly 65,000 military personnel including Iraqi soldiers, Kurdish Peshmerga militia and Sunni tribal fighters were expected to participate in the offensive to liberate the city of more than 5,000 ISIS militants. </s> Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose political bloc came third in a May parliamentary election, met on Saturday with cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose bloc came first, in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, Abadi's office said.

BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose political bloc came third in a May parliamentary election, met on Saturday with cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose bloc came first, in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, Abadi's office said.

It was the first meeting between the pair since Sadr and second-placed Hadi al-Amiri, a Shi'ite militia commander and Iran ally, announced an alliance between their blocs.

Political leaders in Iraq traditionally hold such meetings after elections as part of the lengthy and often complicated process of forming a coalition government, as no one party ever wins enough seats to form a government on its own. </s> Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated Iraqi army over their victory in Mosul. (AFP Photo) </s> Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) Iraq's newly elected president has appointed a 76-year-old economist and veteran Shiite politician as the country's new prime minister-designate, ending months of political uncertainty following elections in May.

Shortly after Iraqi lawmakers elected Kurdish politician Barham Salih as president on Tuesday, he appointed Adil Abd al-Mahdi as the country's next prime minister.

The Iraqi president's role is largely ceremonial, with the prime minister holding most powers. The appointments end months of political wrangling, following a disputed parliamentary election earlier this year.

The new prime minister had previously served as vice president, finance minister and oil minister under outgoing prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

Al-Mahdi now has 30 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval.

Read More </s> Protests by supporters of a powerful Iraqi Shiite cleric turned deadly Saturday in Baghdad.

A police officer was killed and seven others wounded during clashes between supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr and security forces, Baghdad’s security operations command said Saturday.

The cleric has called for the reform of Iraq’s election commission, and demonstrators had gathered in support of him.

Video of the rally shows police firing tear gas at the protesters.

The rally reached outside the fortified Green Zone, an area housing government buildings and foreign embassies.

Later Saturday, rockets fired from eastern Baghdad landed inside the Green Zone, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command Center said, but it’s unclear if that incident was related to the protests. There were no reports of casualties in the rocket firing.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered an investigation into the clashes.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi attends the funeral of bodyguard Brigadier General Sherif Ismail el-Morshedy, killed in action in Nineveh against Saraya al-Salam.