60 Iraqi MPs renew request to question defence minister

As many as 60 Iraqi parliamentarians have signed a second request to question Defence Minister Khaled Al-Obeidi, a senior official said.

State of Law MP Alia Nassif told reporters at the parliament headquarters in the capital Baghdad that she will submit a request to question and dismiss Al-Obeidi over financial and administrative corruption.

Nassif said the questions which will be directed at Al-Obeidi will be different from the questions asked by MP Hanan Al-Fatlawi to him in a previous questioning session.

“We will ask the minister ten questions,” Nassif explained, noting that the Parliament Speaker has promised her to set the questioning session during the next two weeks.

The Iraqi Parliament voted with a majority of 118 MPs not to dismiss Al-Obeidi during a questioning session on Saturday.

President of the Irada Movement, Al- Fatlawi told reporters that 64 deputies were unconvinced by the minister’s responses and 33 deputies showed reservations.

Defence Minister Khaled Al-Obeidi belongs to the Itihad Al-Quwa Al-Wataniyah (Iraqi Forces Alliance).