Adnan Al-Zurfi Nominated Iraq' New PM

Iraqi President Barham Salih has named a former provincial governor of Najaf Adnan al-Zurfi as the next prime minister-designate of the country.

Al Zurfi is a former U.S.- run official who took over Iraq to replace Saddam Hussein after the 2003 invasion.

Al Zurfi, 54, is part of former Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi's Nasr parliamentary party, also a US ally.

He has 30 days to form his government, which will then have to be put to a vote of confidence in the pided Parliament of Iraq.

Al Zurfi is the second man chosen to attempt to form a government following the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in late November.

Political factions had intensely debated names for days, seeking a “non-confrontational” figure to preserve the status quo, a senior government source told AFP.

Abdul Mahdi’s resignation followed mass rallies against the government, which protesters regard as corrupt, inept and beholden to powerful neighbor Iran.

His position became unsustainable when Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani held a rally in the southern city of Nassiriya after security troops killed 32 protesters in hours.

Since October, Iraq has been rattled with mass demonstrations. More than 500 demonstrators were killed in the subsequent government response and thousands of soldiers and Iran-backed militias were injured.

Mohammed Allawi was first chosen in February to succeed Abdul Mahdi. He withdrew his candidacy after failing to gain the support of sufficient MPs to obtain a vote of confidence.

The country has been at a political deadlock with infighting between Shiite factions, and disputes with Kurdish and Sunni politicians to find a consensus for the new government.

One of the major obstacles that Allawi failed to clear was the appointment of ministers.

He pledged to build an independent government to meet the demands of demonstrators but parliamentary parties who usually propose names based on their numbers of seats insisted on having their say.

While the protest movement has waned in recent weeks, it is still present.

At least 30 demonstrators were wounded on Monday evening in Baghdad when government forces moved on a camp in Khilani Square.

Al Zurfi’s appointment comes as coronavirus spreads across Iraq.

The country announced a curfew from Tuesday evening as it seeks to contain the spread of the virus, which has already infected at least 93 people.

Meanwhile, two rockets hit the Besmaya military base about 60 kilometers south of Baghdad on Tuesday before dawn, the Iraqi military said.

The US-led coalition and Nato have troops stationed there. It was the third attack on international soldiers in the past week.

The Iraqi military made no mention of casualties and a Nato spokesman told AFP that none of its troops was hurt in the attack.