Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Thursday ordered an investigation committee to probe a reported clash between Iraqi security forces and an armed group in the southern city of Basra.
On Wednesday night, media outlets quoted commander of Basra Operations Maj. Gen. Akram Saddam as saying that there was an exchange of fire at the Presidential Palaces between a special security force and an armed faction.
Following the news, a statement of the Security Media Cell (SMC) said that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi, instructed dispatching an investigation committee to Basra governorate.
For its part, the Basra Operations Command denied media reports about a statement made by Saddam regarding the armed skirmishes. "We at the Basra Operations Command headquarters deny these media leaks," the leadership said in a statement.
It added that the Operations Commander has not made any statement to a media outlet.
Later on Thursday, Iraq’s Nina news agency said that Kadhimi dismissed Saddam, replacing him with Major General Ali Al-Majidi.
