Jan 14, 2018

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced plans Sunday to run for re-election in May at the head of a new coalition separate from key rival and Dawa party co-member Nuri al-Maliki.

Abadi said in a statement he set up the "Victory Alliance" coalition as a "cross-sectarian" list aimed at overcoming divisions and battling inequalities in the country.

The coalition, the 65-year-old premier said, would strive to "protect the victory and the sacrifices" of the Iraqi people and to "fight against corruption... (and for) the unity of Iraq".

Abadi declared victory in December in the three-year war by Iraqi forces to expel the Islamic State jihadist group from the vast areas north and west of Baghdad it had seized in 2014.

Abadi had announced the previous month that Iraq's next parliamentary election would be held on May 15.