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Iraq crisis: Parliament swears in unity government | Iraq crisis: Parliament swears in unity government |
(34 minutes later) | |
Iraq's parliament has approved a new government with Sunni and Kurdish deputy prime ministers, as it seeks to tackle Islamic State (IS) militants who have seized large parts of the country. | Iraq's parliament has approved a new government with Sunni and Kurdish deputy prime ministers, as it seeks to tackle Islamic State (IS) militants who have seized large parts of the country. |
Salih al-Mutlak and Hoshyar Zebari were approved under a power-sharing deal after weeks of political deadlock. | Salih al-Mutlak and Hoshyar Zebari were approved under a power-sharing deal after weeks of political deadlock. |
PM Haidar al-Abadi, a moderate Shia, was asked to form a government with the resignation of Nouri Maliki. | PM Haidar al-Abadi, a moderate Shia, was asked to form a government with the resignation of Nouri Maliki. |
However, the interior and defence minister positions were not agreed. | However, the interior and defence minister positions were not agreed. |
Mr Abadi has pledged to fill the positions within a week. | Mr Abadi has pledged to fill the positions within a week. |
His predecessor was forced to resign in August, as the Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities accused his administration of pursuing sectarian policies. | His predecessor was forced to resign in August, as the Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities accused his administration of pursuing sectarian policies. |
The US had urged Iraq to form an inclusive government with Sunni representation, describing this as a condition for further military support against IS. | The US had urged Iraq to form an inclusive government with Sunni representation, describing this as a condition for further military support against IS. |
'Last minute brinkmanship' | |
IS led many Sunni rebels as it seized large swathes of Iraq, capitalising on growing tension between the Sunni minority and the Shia-led government. | |
However, many Sunni rebels have since indicated that they would be ready to turn against IS if Sunni rights were enshrined in a reformed political order in Baghdad. | |
There was a constitutional deadline for the new Iraqi government to be formed, and the haggling and brinkmanship had gone up to the last minute, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Irbil. |