Iraqi PM warns against politicizing security issues in Basra

The Iraqi Parliament convened an emergency session on Saturday (September 8) to discuss the escalating crisis in Basra, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warning against the politicization of the crisis in the country's second largest city.

Abadi also warned parliamentary colleagues that the situation in Basra could descend into armed conflict after residents took to the streets in violent protest over what they say is systematic corruption and misrule that has allowed infrastructure to collapse, leaving no power or safe drinking water.
Despite that, political infighting persisted as leaders of all the major blocs vying to form Iraq's ruling coalition criticized one another's roles in the escalating crisis.

Five days of deadly demonstrations have seen government buildings ransacked and set alight by protesters, in addition to a similar occurrence at the Iranian consulate over what many perceive as Iran's sway over Iraq's political affairs.

The heads of Basra Operations Command and the Basra Police were both sacked on Saturday and the government has agreed to send a delegation to Basra to investigate the failure of security forces in protecting the government buildings and the consulate.