Salah Al-Din Provincial Council elects Ali Al-Kareem as new head

SALAH AL-DIN — The Salah Al-Din Provincial Council voted Sunday to appoint Ali Al-Kareem as its new head, with 11 of 12 attending members supporting his election. The session was held behind closed doors, with no journalists present.

A council member, speaking to 964media on condition of anonymity, said, “Twelve out of 15 council members attended the vote.” Among the absentees was Adel Al-Sumaidai, the former council head, who was dismissed following a questioning session on Oct. 30.

Al-Sumaidai has rejected his dismissal, calling it unlawful and stating his intention to challenge the decision in court.

Al-Sumaidai was elected council head on Feb. 4 and previously served on the council from 2011 to 2013, where he chaired the Fuel and Energy Committee. His removal followed a late October session in which 10 of 14 members present voted in favor of his dismissal after expressing dissatisfaction with his responses during a questioning session.

A source within the council told 964media at the time that the questioning centered on allegations of tampering with job allocations designated for the governorate. Al-Sumaidai reportedly responded by stating that such matters fall under the governor’s jurisdiction, not the council chair’s.

The council also accused Al-Sumaidai of neglecting oversight on delayed projects within the governorate, further fueling dissatisfaction among members.