Iraqi finance minister sacked over corruption allegations

Iraq's finance minister has been sacked over allegations of corruption.

Hoshyar Zebari lost a no confidence vote in a secret ballot on Wednesday.

The Kurdish Democratic Party MP was questioned last month on charges of corruption and mismanagement, which he denies.

"The finance minister was removed during a secret voting session," MP Ammar Toma told AFP.

MPs voted 158 to 91 to dismiss Zebari, who was appointed finance minister in 2014 after a long career at the helm of the foreign ministry.

Zebari's sacking risks further destabilising the war-torn country's fragile economy as the slump in oil prices hits the major OPEC producer - as well as its costly battle against the Islamic State group.

The dismissal comes amid Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's raft of anti-corruption reforms.

Last month defence minister Khalid al-Obeidi was removed from office over corruption allegations, just as Iraq's army gears up to retake Mosul from IS militants.