Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi visited the southern province of Maysan on Wednesday after the assassinations of two provincial officials in less than a week.
Amid tribal disputes and a growing drug problem that has turned the province into a major centre for traffickers, gunmen assassinated a judge specialising in drug cases and an Interior Ministry officer.
“We are going through complicated political circumstances,” Mr Al Kadhimi told a group of provincial security officials on his arrival in the area.
“No one is allowed to exploit this situation to create chaos during this important period of time.”
On Saturday, militants blocked the route of judge Ahmed Faisal Khasaf as he was driving home in his car and shot him 15 times in the head and chest with a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
A few days earlier, an Interior Ministry officer was shot dead by militants. Both attacks took place in the provincial capital of Amara, near government offices.
The prime minister called on all political parties, security forces and provincial dignitaries to “act immediately and shoulder their responsibilities”.
He said “chaos has no mercy and everyone will pay dearly”, insisting “that we all have to work together and co-operate to achieve the desired results”.
He vowed to hunt down the killers and bring them to justice.
This week, the government sacked senior security officials in the province and set up a provincial operation command.
“I will follow up with the joint security command in the province on a daily basis. All criminals will be arrested and handed to the judiciary,” Mr Al Kadhimi said.
For years, Iraqi security and health officials have been warning that drug smuggling and abuse is increasing in the country while authorities are under-resourced to deal with the problem.
Top of the list is crystal meth, a synthetic drug. It comprises about 60 per cent of the country’s drug trade, according to government figures.
Then comes Captagon, followed by tramadol, heroin and hashish.
The province borders Iran and has emerged as one of the main routes for smuggling drugs to other parts of Iraq.
The province is also the scene of bloody tribal confrontations that can last for days.
The latest violence comes as political rivals have hit a roadblock amid the process of forming a new Iraqi government.
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
bundesliga results
Mainz 0 Augsburg 1 (Niederlechner 1')
Schalke 1 (Caligiuri pen 51') Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Miranda og 81')
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
