Uproar Continues over Removal of Iraq’s Head of Counter-Terrorism Forces

Commander of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, Abdul Wahhab al-Saadi. (AFP)
Commander of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, Abdul Wahhab al-Saadi. (AFP)
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Uproar Continues over Removal of Iraq’s Head of Counter-Terrorism Forces

Commander of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, Abdul Wahhab al-Saadi. (AFP)
Commander of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, Abdul Wahhab al-Saadi. (AFP)

Outrage continued in Iraq over Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s decision to remove commander of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, Abdul Wahhab al-Saadi, and transfer him to the Defense Ministry.

Saadi is one of the most prominent commanders who led the war against ISIS in Iraq. He suffered injuries throughout the battle and is often hailed as a hero. Uproar over his dismissal has been unprecedented in the country.

Critics of the move said it was a like an “insult” to the widely-respected military commander.

The transfer to a specific department in the Defense Ministry is tantamount to their punishment or dismissal, they added.

Saadi had previously said he would rather be imprisoned or forced to retire than made to move to the ministry.

Speculation was rife over the motives of Abdul Mahdi’s decision.

Some said it was part if regular procedures and appointments that take place in the upper ranks of the military. Others speculated that it was driven by “foreign agendas” aimed at breaking the image of the military in favor of armed factions.

Some even spoke of Iran’s potential role in ordering the transfer given its animosity to the military institution that has fought its influence for eight years.

Deputy head of the parliamentary security and defense committee Nayef al-Shammari, however, stated that Saadi was a victim of the failure to resolve certain pending issues. He added that the committee will probe the decision to transfer him to the Defense Ministry.

“We have yet to receive an explanation for the move,” he remarked.

Reports even said that Sadrist movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr had intervened to urge the PM against transferring Saadi to the ministry.

Former parliament Speaker Usama al-Nujaifi called on Abdul Mahdi to reconsider his decision.

He said that commanders are usually rewarded for their heroics, warning that the transfer would send a negative message to the military and people.

Former PM Haidar al-Abadi, who also served as armed forces chief during the war on ISIS between 2014 and 2017, tweeted: “This is how the state rewards the fighters who defended the nation.”

Military and security appointments must be based on professional grounds and “we must not squander those who made sacrifices for the people and nation during difficult times.”

Former editor-in-chief of the al-Sabah daily, Fallah al-Meshaal, attributed the uproar over Saadi’s decommissioning “to national consensus over his national principles and Iraqi spirit during the battles to liberate Mosul city from ISIS.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he hailed his humanitarian stances with the people and shunning of sectarianism, which is why the people see in him an example of a national military commander. They rose up to defend his honor in a precedent not enjoyed by any Iraqi politician since 2003.”

Political science professor at the University of Kufa, Eyad al-Anbar told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The people see Saadi as a symbol of the state against the infiltration of militias factions and commanders.”



Lebanon’s Berri: Resolution 1701 Stands Unchanged

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)
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Lebanon’s Berri: Resolution 1701 Stands Unchanged

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)

Lebanon is monitoring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to US President Joe Biden’s push for a ceasefire in southern Lebanon.

Biden has sent advisors Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk to Tel Aviv to discuss the matter with Netanyahu, marking what Lebanese officials see as the last chance for progress before the US presidential election on Nov. 5.

Lebanese leaders, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, are cautious about predicting results.

Mikati did not comment after his recent meetings with US advisors.

However, Berri highlighted Lebanon’s prior agreement with Hochstein to a ceasefire, deploying the Lebanese army in the south, and enforcing UN Resolution 1701.

Berri reaffirmed that Lebanon won’t alter these terms, saying, “What’s agreed is agreed; Resolution 1701 stands unchanged.”

The speaker clarified that Lebanon has fulfilled its commitments and is now waiting for Netanyahu’s response, noting that Lebanon is ready to implement the ceasefire if Hochstein can secure Netanyahu’s agreement.

“The ball is now in Netanyahu’s court,” Berri said, pointing out that Netanyahu has previously agreed to and then withdrawn from ceasefire deals.

According to sources, Hezbollah is fully behind Berri’s mandate for a ceasefire.

Hezbollah’s newly appointed Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, recently confirmed the party’s support.

Qassem is closely following developments with the party’s military leadership, while Hezbollah’s MPs continue discussions with other blocs to clarify their position.

Lebanese sources stressed that reaching a ceasefire is critical and must happen as soon as possible, asserting that Netanyahu should not leverage the situation in Gaza as a pretext to avoid a southern ceasefire.

As Biden’s envoys prepare to meet with Netanyahu, Lebanese officials remain focused on whether this effort will result in an agreement.

The ongoing clashes near the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, where Hezbollah is actively resisting Israeli advances, have intensified the situation, making the outcome of these discussions crucial.