Iraq president sues PM

BAGHDAD, Feb 10 (AFP): Iraq's president has sued Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani over unpaid salaries for civil servants in the autonomous region of Kurdistan, bringing into focus a rift in the country's leadership.

President Abdul Latif Rashid, a Kurd, filed the lawsuit against Sudani and Finance Minister Taif Sami last month, but his adviser, Hawri Tawfiq, only announced it on Sunday.

The case, submitted to Iraq's top court, seeks an order to ensure salaries are paid "without interruption" despite ongoing financial disputes between Baghdad and Arbil, the regional capital.

Iraq's public sector is wracked with inefficiency and corruption, and analysts say Sudani and Rashid had long had disagreements. While public sector workers received their January salaries, they are still waiting for their December pay.