Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki continues his struggle to retain his position and announced Monday that he will file a legal complaint against the newly elected president, AP reports. In a televised speech Sunday, Maliki stated that President Massoum had committed “a clear constitutional violation.”
The Iraqi government is facing deadlock during a time when the country is battling insurgents from the extremist group the Islamic State. According to AP, Iraqi special forces loyal to Maliki were deployed at a main intersection in Baghdad Monday. The government has also heightened security in the capital.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged Maliki not to stoke political tensions and to create a cohesive, inclusive government.
“The government formation process is critical in terms of sustaining stability and calm in Iraq, and our hope is that Mr. Maliki will not stir those waters,” Kerry told reporters Monday.
