Officials say the Iraqi commander of Mosul operations has been replaced after a series of attacks against Christians in the northern city.
Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf says Lt. Gen. Riyadh Jalal Tawfiq will be transferred to Baghdad.
Khalaf said Friday that Tawfiq's deputy Maj. Gen. Hassan Karim Khudhair will be acting commander.
An Iraqi army officer in Mosul blamed the shuffle on "security negligence that led to the eruption of violence in the province, especially the anti-Christian attacks."
The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information.
Some 13,000 Christians fled Mosul after several were killed. Two Christian sisters were killed by gunmen on Thursday.
