With faith in his ability to unite the country and protect its citizens shaken, Mr. Abadi is likely to face further calls for his ouster, analysts said. But after this latest attack, that operation could be delayed, fulfilling another Islamic State goal. After the victory in Falluja, optimistic Iraqi officials talked excitedly about marching on Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, which fell to the Islamic State in 2014. In its statement claiming responsibility, the Islamic State said it had targeted Shiites. Mr. Abadi has long struggled to secure his power in the face of opposition from other Shiite leaders, including the former prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.

Source: New York Times July 04, 2016 16:41 UTC