Iraqi military denies any disobedience, saying official page hacked

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) on Monday denied military disobedience in the country, confirming that the official website of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) had been hacked.

"The JOC would like to make it clear that the official page of the CTS has been hacked by bad people, and that ... proceedings are being made to prosecute the perpetrators," the JOC said in a statement.

"What was published on this page (CTS page) about the existence of disobedience is untrue and has no credibility at all," the statement said.

Talib Shaghati al-Kanani, head of the CTS, told the state-owned Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the Counter-Terrorism Service was and remains the protective fence of the nation, to protect the people, political democratic system and the state of Iraq by all of its national institutions."

Al-Kanani denied the reports on the faked website, according to an INA report.

Earlier in the day, unidentified persons hacked the CTS' official Facebook account, publishing a statement attributed to al-Kanani announcing the start of a disobedience and a military coup against the current government.

The incident took place as mass demonstrations continue in the Iraqi capital Baghdad and other cities in central and southern Iraq. Protestors have demanded the government to carry out comprehensive reforms, rid corruption, improve public services, and create more job opportunities.