ERBIL, Kurdistan Region--The governor of Nineveh has sacked three top security and government officials in Qayyarah for failing to protect the town against a recent ISIS militant infiltration weeks after its liberation by Iraqi troops.
An official told Rudaw that the governor sacked the Nineveh police chief, head of police intelligence and the mayor of Qayyarah because ISIS militants had managed to infiltrate Imam Gharbi village near Shargat on Saturday where they had remained in control for several hours.
Qayyarah was liberated by Iraqi troops at the end of August. It is 60 KM southeast of Mosul.
The fired mayor Salim Jabouri defended his position, saying he has no power over security forces though he is legally in charge of the police.
“It is true that I am the head of the security committee, but I have no power over the security forces, because I am not a security commander and therefore cannot move around the security forces.”
Ghazwan Dawudi, a member of the Nineveh Provincial Council confirmed the sackings by the governor.
Iraqi War Media office said in a statement on Saturday night: “The heroic federal police were able to reclaim the area and killed more than 40 terrorists...with the support of the international coalition.”
Dawudi said the police chief, Wathiq al-Hamdani failed to protect the area when a group of ISIS militants attacked Saturday.
