Iraq’s Nineveh council votes unanimously to dismiss governor 

The Nineveh Provincial Council yesterday voted unanimously to dismiss Governor Mansour Al-Maraeed and appoint his deputy, Sirwan Rozbiani, to the post temporarily.

Candidates wishing to run for the post have until Saturday afternoon to apply.

However, Al-Maraeed stressed that he would continue in his post.

The vote came as the National Security Agency in Nineveh raided the provincial council building upon orders from Baghdad to prevent the Council members from holding their extraordinary session, an informed source said.

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Lawmaker for Nineveh Province, Ahmed Al-Jubouri, said Al-Maraeed had submitted his resignation to the provincial council but later changed his mind and withdrew his letter.

Al-Jubouri called on Nineveh residents to join the anti-corruption protests which have taken place across Iraq.