Zaidi removes Iraqi intelligence chief Hamid al-Shatri

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Monday removed Hamid al-Shatri as head of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, the country’s main intelligence agency, according to an executive order seen by 964media.

The order relieves Hamid Rashid Falih, Shatri’s full name, of the post. No reason was given, and no successor has been named.

It is signed by Rashad Khalaf Hashim, Zaidi’s new chief of staff. Hashim took over as head of the prime minister’s office from Ihsan al-Awadi at a handover ceremony on Monday, the prime minister’s media office said.

Former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani appointed Shatri to lead the intelligence service, which reports to the prime minister, in December 2024. Shatri had earlier headed the National Security Service, a separate agency, until Sudani replaced him in July 2023.

As intelligence chief, Shatri led Iraqi delegations to Damascus after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, and in June he carried a message from Zaidi to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during a visit to Syria. In January he said the ranks of the Islamic State group in Syria had grown to about 10,000 fighters, from an earlier estimate of 2,000.

His name was also raised for prime minister in this year’s government formation talks. Basra Governor Asaad al-Eidani said in May that Shatri was among four names proposed in the final hours of negotiations, alongside Zaidi, who was chosen.

Zaidi has replaced several security chiefs since his government took office in May. In June he named Qasim al-Aboudi national security adviser in place of Qasim al-Araji and replaced National Security Service chief Abdul Karim al-Basri. In July he appointed new heads of the Counter-Terrorism Service and the Federal Police.