Shafaq News- Maysan

Iraq's judiciary has released Mustafa Duair al-Mohammadawi, head of the provincial council in the southern province of Maysan, after he complied with legal procedures, his media office said on Tuesday.

Al-Mohammadawi was freed after appearing before the Karkh investigative court in Baghdad, which had issued a warrant for his arrest under Article 224 of the Iraqi penal code, an informed source told Shafaq News.

The warrant followed a complaint from Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's office after al-Mohammadawi threatened civil disobedience and road closures, and to "separate the province from the body of Iraq," unless the government reopened the Al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran by Thursday. Iraq closed the crossing, a major route for Iranian trade and pilgrims, on October 21, citing technical shortcomings.

Read more: Maysan council defends chairman after arrest warrant