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Kadhimi Reshuffles Senior Security Posts

Kadhimi Reshuffles Senior Security Posts
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Kadhimi Reshuffles Senior Security Posts

Kadhimi Reshuffles Senior Security Posts

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has appointed Major General Abdul Ghani al-Asadi as head of the National Security Agency, replacing Faleh al-Fayadh.

This comes in line with the series of appointments and amendments in senior security posts.

Asadi, 69, graduated from the Military Academy in 1972. He served in Iraq’s Special Operations Forces until his retirement was ordered by former Premier Adel Abdul Mahdi in 2018.

Kadhimi also appointed Qasim al-Araji as national security adviser, replacing Fayadh, who served in this post for nearly 10 years.

Araji served as Interior Minister in the second half of former Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s government (2014-2018). He also served as an MP between 2010 and 2014, representing Hadi al-Amiri’s pro-Iran Badr Organization.

Both orders actually deprive Fayadh of critical positions he has been serving for many years now and keeps him only as head of the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Sources close to Kadhimi’s government suggest Fayadh will also be stripped from this post once an alternative is available.

They also indicated other possible similar amendments to senior leaders in the army and police forces.

In early May, the Prime Minister ordered to reinstate a top general dismissed by Abdul Mahdi in September.

“We ordered the return of the hero brother, First Lieutenant General Abdel-Wahab al-Saadi, and to promote him as the head of the Anti-Terrorism Agency,” he said.

Security observers noted that the latest reshuffle has maintained the dominance of the Shiite component over these positions.

At the level of civil government institutions and bodies, Kadhimi decided to end the mandate of Jasim al-Lamy as member of the Communications and Media Commission’s (CMC) Board of Commissioners.

Other figures who have been serving for a long period in the commission are also expected to be dismissed.

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Aoun Leading Efforts to Avert Shiite Boycott of New Lebanese Govt

A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
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Aoun Leading Efforts to Avert Shiite Boycott of New Lebanese Govt

A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to kick off parliamentary consultations to form a new government.

He assured that it will “not exclude anyone”, but seek “unity and partnership.”

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that President Joseph Aoun is leading efforts to avert a Shiite boycott of the new government after the “Shiite duo” of the Hezbollah and Amal movement, which is led by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, refrained from naming Salam for the position of PM during Monday’s consultations.

Their abstention has raised fears that the new government will not be constitutional without the representation of the largest Shiite parties in the country.

Reports have said that the duo may boycott the parliamentary consultations to form a government that Salam will hold on Wednesday.

Sources said the duo may skip the first day of talks, which will conclude on Thursday, to demonstrate its “annoyance” with the developments.

Berri, however, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the “situation is not that negative”. He did not elaborate on the duo’s next steps.

Moreover, Asharq Al-Awsat learned that French President Macron had even intervened to avoid a dispute over the government, holding telephone talks with Aoun and Berri.

Salam’s appointment as prime minister came as a major shock given the large number of votes he won from the parliamentary blocs, compared to his predecessor Najib Mikati and against the will of the Shiite duo. In past years, Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked Salam from becoming prime minister.

Aoun stressed the need to “avoid placing obstacles in the government formation process.”

Aoun held a meeting with Salam at the presidential palace on Tuesday before later being joined by Berri, who left the palace without making a statement.

After the talks, Salam spoke before reporters to express his gratitude to parliament and the people for entrusting him with the “difficult task of serving Lebanon” and “achieving the people’s dreams.”

“It is time to open a new chapter that is rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunity, so that Lebanon can be a nation of free people who are equal under their rights,” he added.

On the possible boycott of the Shiite duo, he said he was against exclusion and on the contrary supported unity. “This is my sincere call, and my hands are extended to everyone,” he added.

The formation of a government in Lebanon often takes months due to political wrangling.

Aoun said on Tuesday that Lebanon has a “very major opportunity that we should all seize.”

He received a delegation from the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council.

“Obstacles must not be placed in the formation process,” he urged. “We must send positive signals to the international community that Lebanon can govern itself, carry out reconstruction transparently and build the state that we are all calling for.”

“If one segment of Lebanon is broken, then the whole country will break,” he stressed, saying Monday’s consultations to appoint Salam were a democratic process and that the public interest remains the top priority.

Aoun, who was elected last week, added that he has declined visits from well-wishers over his election “out of respect for the martyrs” who were killed during Israel’s war on Lebanon, which ended with a ceasefire in November.