Baghdad security breach won't be repeated: Iraqi PM

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Baghdad, Jan 23 (IANS) In the wake of the twin suicide bombings in Baghdad earlier this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pledged that a security breach in the capital city "would not be repeated", stressing the need to urgently address the challenges facing by the country's intelligence services.

A statement by his office issued on Friday said that al-Kadhimi's comments came during the extraordinary session of the Ministerial Council for National Security a day after the deadly bombings that killed 32 people and injured 116 others, reports Xinhua news agency.

"What happened yesterday is a breach that we do not allow to be repeated. We promised our people to provide security," al-Kadhimi said.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the security services made great efforts during the past months and were able to carry out pre-emptive operations to thwart the almost daily attempts by the Islamic State (IS) terror group to reach Baghdad, the statement said.

"There are challenges in the (performance of) intelligence services that must be addressed urgently, and I will personally supervise this issue," al-Kadhimi said.

On Thursday morning, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt in a bustling outdoor market for second-hand clothes in Bab al-Sharji area, and a second one blew himself up a few minutes later in the same market.

Later in the day, al-Kadhimi, also commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, chaired an emergency meeting and also sacked five security senior officials and commanders.

Thursday's bombings were claimed by the IS.

This was the first such attack in the Iraqi capital city in nearly two years, as the security situation has improved since the Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS across the country late in 2017.

However, sporadic deadly incidents still occur in the war-ravaged country.

--IANS

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