Iraq political crisis fuels militancy: Abadi
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has criticized the current political crisis in the Arab country, saying clashes among political factions are mainly to blame for the recent surge in militant attacks.
Abadi said in a televised speech on Saturday that no specific group or party should be blamed for the bloody violence in recent days in the capital, Baghdad, and elsewhere, saying, however, that a “climate of dispute” had given the militants space to operate in areas under government control.
“The political conflict among politicians and their impact on the brave security forces permits acts of terrorism to occur,” he said.
The remarks came hours after five members of Iraqi security forces were killed and 13 others were injured in an attack claimed by Daesh in the town of Amiriyat Fallujah, just west of Baghdad.
Police sources said a separate explosion in southern Baghdad's farm district of Madain also killed two people and wounded seven.
The terrorist attacks were the latest in a string of assaults by Daesh in recent days, with the deadliest hitting areas in Baghdad on Wednesday, leaving more than 90 killed.
Seventeen soldiers also lost their lives in blasts on Thursday in the western city of Ramadi and 16 people, mostly civilians, were killed north of Baghdad on Friday.
Abadi also said in his speech that Iraq has scored high in its battle against militants in recent months and that bomb attacks show how irritated Daesh has become after being pushed out of major urban areas.
“This enemy is like an epidemic: no matter how hard you fight it, one or two cases remain that may show up and cause injury. This is what is happening today,” he said.
Abadi has pledged to put an end to the Daesh terrorist campaign by 2016.
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