Iraq PM Al Maliki plans government shake-up

Baghdad: Under pressure to avert civil war, the Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki told a parliament crackling with sectarian tension that he would fire a host of under-performing ministers.

Al Maliki ‘s reshuffle announcement to a closed session of parliament came on Sunday hours after a man wearing an explosive vest walked into a crowd lining up outside a police commando recruiting centre in Baghdad and blew himself up killing 35 and wounding 58. Al Qaida claimed responsibility for the attack.

Lawmakers on all sides voiced cautious support for the Prime Minister's move.

In the coming shake-up, key lawmakers from Al Maliki's Islamic Dawa Party said, Interior Minister Jawad Al Bolani was at the top of the list to lose his post because police and security forces were failing to rein in the unbridled sectarian killing that has reached civil war proportionsy.

Al Maliki, a Shiite Islamist, has been under pressure from US officials to show progress in curbing violence.

"The prime minister called for a comprehensive ministerial reshuffle in accordance with the current situation," Al Maliki's office said in a statement after parliament's closed session.

In remarks made on Saturday and published on Sunday, he said: "By this reshuffle, we want to send a message to all ministers that they may be replaced if they don't succeed."