Iraqi interior minister submits resignation over Baghdad deadly bombing

Iraqi Interior Minister Mohammed Salim al-Ghabban on Monday submitted resignation after a deadly bomb attack in Baghdad that killed and wounded hundreds of people.

"I have sent my resignation to the prime minister and I will wait for his decision either reforming the security apparatus or accept my resignation," Ghabban told a press conference in Baghdad. Abadi has not approved his resignation yet.

The Iraqi government did not yet succeed in organizing the work of the security and intelligence agencies, to act under high level of coordination away from political interference and selfishness, Ghabban said, pointing to the existence of multiple security agencies and overlapping in authorities.

He said he submitted his resignation after he sent a letter to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, demanding a meeting for the country's security council to discuss reforms of the security apparatus, but there was no response to his demand.

Ghabban also said that he quit his post and left his deputy Aqeel al-Khazaaly to run the ministry.

"The security failures will be repeated if the political overlaps persist, the responsibilities of operations commands and the army must be outside the cities and internal security must be under the umbrella of the interior ministry," said Ghabban.

On Sunday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden pickup truck outside a shopping center in Karrada-Dakhil district in southern Baghdad, setting fire to the three-floor building center and several nearby buildings, while many shops and stalls were charred and destroyed, along with destroying dozens of civilian vehicles at the scene.

An Interior Ministry source said at least 165 people were killed and 225 others wounded in the blast. On the same day, another explosion in northeastern Baghdad left one civilian killed and five others wounded.

Abadi announced three days of national mourning for the victims after he visited the blast site on Sunday. His convoy was attacked by dozens of angry residents who accused the government of failing to protect its people.

Observers said there could be more attacks against military targets and civilians in the future as the army advance to the last IS stronghold of Mosul.

Iraq has been hit by a wave of violence since the IS terrorist group seized large parts in Iraq's northern and western regions since 2014. Endit