Diyala council session aborted amid tight security

DIYALA — the Provincial Council faced another setback as it failed for the second time to convene a session intended for the election of the council’s president, deputy, and governor.

Security forces had blocked the roads leading to the council building past midnight, in preparation for the session called by the council’s eldest member, aiming to select new leadership for the council and the governorship.

Before the session was aborted, members from the “Diyalatna” bloc, including Muthanna al-Tamimi, Farqad al-Rubai, and Turki al-Atabi, members from the “Progress” bloc, Majida Kambash and Nizar al-Lahibi, and Aws al-Mahdawi from the Kurdistan Democratic Party were present in the building. The early withdrawal of these members was captured on video, marking the session’s inability to proceed as planned.