BAGHDAD -- Iraq's minister of defense received a no-confidence vote from parliament Thursday just as Iraqi forces retook a key northern town near the Islamic State-held city of Mosul.
Khaled al-Obeidi is the first sitting defense minister to receive a no-confidence vote from parliament since the overthrow of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003. The vote against him comes after weeks of political wrangling over corruption allegations.
The minister received 142 votes of no confidence, slightly more than the absolute majority needed for the vote to pass, according to lawmakers Sadiq al-Rikabi and Mohammed Saadoun from the State of Law bloc.
According to Iraq's constitution, after a no-confidence vote from parliament the minister "is considered resigned from the date of the decision." However, the issue "may be tabled only at that Minister's request or at the signed request of 50 [parliament] members after an inquiry discussion directed at him."
Parliament will then be able to respond to such a request seven days after it is submitted. Al-Obeidi's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment if he would try to table the decision.
"I have tried my best to fight against corruption with the means that I have," al-Obeidi wrote in a statement posted to his Facebook page shortly after the vote, "but it seems the voices of the masters of corruption are much higher and much stronger."
Al-Obeidi was appointed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi shortly after he took office in 2014 in the midst of political and security crises unleashed by the Islamic State extremist group's takeover of large areas of northern and western Iraq, including Mosul.
At the time, al-Abadi said al-Obeidi's appointment was intended to fight entrenched corruption that had weakened the country's military before the 2014 Islamic State blitz.
Last month, al-Abadi accepted the resignation of the minister of interior as public anger grew over security lapses in and around Baghdad that allowed the Islamic State to carry out large-scale insurgent attacks killing hundreds of civilians.
The no-confidence vote comes as Iraq's military has pushed to within 50 miles of Mosul, the country's second-largest city, which has been held by the Islamic State for more than two years.
"The sacking of the minister will not affect the course of the battle to liberate the city of Mosul," al-Rikabi said.
Iraqi forces retook the key town of Qayara, near a major air base south of Mosul, from the Islamic State group Thursday, according to a statement from the prime minister's office. Al-Abadi said the victory marks an "important step" on the road to Mosul.
Iraqi troops opened the operation to retake Qayara this week, more than a month after retaking the nearby air base from the Islamic State. Iraq's Ministry of Defense said the army's 9th Division and the country's elite special forces took part in the operation that was closely supported by coalition air power.
Iraqi officials have pledged that Mosul will be retaken this year. Qayara is 45 miles south of Mosul.
Separately, Iraqi officials say bombings and shootings across the Iraqi capital killed 13 people and wounded 24.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The police say roadside bombings on busy commercial streets and two sticky bombs attached to cars in neighborhoods across Baghdad killed seven and wounded 24 on Thursday. Additionally, three shootings in Baghdad neighborhoods killed six people.
Police and hospital officials confirmed the casualty toll, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
Information for this article was contributed by Ahmed Sami and Murtada Faraj of The Associated Press.
A Section on 08/26/2016