Turkey’s prime minister today offered training for the Iraqi police and army, and urged power-sharing among ethnic groups in the Iraqi oil centre of Kirkuk.

Prime Minister Nouri Maliki left Iraq today on an official visit to Turkey.

It was a good day for Iraq’s new prime minister. Not only did he announce the death of the country’s most-feared terror leader, he also won approval for new security ministers, the men charged with stopping the violence in Iraq.

Iraq’s parliament approved new ministers of defence, interior and national security today, ending a three week stalemate among Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic parties over the crucial posts.