Jan 12 2016

Prime Minister Dr. Haider Al-Abadi said that we do not want to turn our people to disaster as a result of regional conflicts, warning of the return of a cacophony of dissonant voices that paved the way for the entry of Daesh to Iraq, noting that these voices began to rise with the victories of our heroic forces.

He said in his speech during a meeting with professional and student and youth cadres in Basra that there are challenges facing the country, including the barbaric war wage by Daesh terrorist gangs and we achieve victories in this in spite of the financial crisis in which we live, and another challenge is to reform which means you demolish the wrong thing and straighten the crooked thing, but there are those who resist reform and they are the corrupt, who have money, media and groups operating outside the law and everything that they try to distort even the victories achieved in Tikrit, Baiji and Ramadi.

He continued: there are those who does not want things to settle as they take advantage of chaos and cases of organised crime and kidnapping, stating his surprise that a group burned mosques in Muqdadiyah and the victims erected marquees consolation by Sunnis and Shi'is.

He called on everyone, especially the young people to unite with a clear vision to prevent strife because there is a media campaign trying to dramatise and blow out of proportion any incident and lead to commotion.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the security file is a red line and what happened in Basra as a result of conflict between political blocs is not permitted and
some want to push things to the point of no return and the people of Basra are peaceful and do not want polarisation and we must maintain communal security in this important province.

Prime Minister's Media Office

12 January 2016