Iraqi MPs have approved new defence and interior ministers, completing a unity government that is battling the spread of Islamic State militants.

Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban, a Shia, was appointed interior minister, while Khaled al-Obeidi, a Sunni, was confirmed as defence minister.

IS controls large parts of the country, and has been making gains despite US-led coalition air strikes.

On Friday, a curfew was imposed in the city of Ramadi amid fierce fighting.

The vote by Iraqi MPs will be a big relief both inside and outside Iraq after weeks of wrangling, says BBC Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher.

A more inclusive cabinet is seen as an essential first step in countering IS fighters, particularly among Iraq's Sunni minority, our correspondent adds.

Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi had pledged to fill the posts in September, but his previous nominations were rejected.

The previous Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was forced to resign in August, as the Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities accused his administration of pursuing sectarian policies.

A new unity government was sworn in on 8 September, headed by Mr Abadi, with Sunni and Kurdish deputy prime ministers.
Car bombs

Iraqi government forces, supported by US-led air strikes, are currently battling IS militants near Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, as well as the city of Tikrit, which was seized by IS earlier this year.

Anbar is a strategically important province, and home to Iraq's second-largest dam, the Haditha dam.

Seizing Anbar would enable IS to to establish a supply line and potentially launch attacks on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

On Thursday, officials said more than 40 people were killed and dozens wounded in a series of attacks in mainly Shia areas of Baghdad.

The capital was rocked by further attacks on Friday night, as a series of car bombs killed at least 23 people.

Meanwhile, US military officials said in a statement that they had conducted 10 airstrikes against IS targets in Iraq, and 15 air strikes against IS targets in Syria, on Friday and Saturday.

IS buildings, oil facilities and armed vehicles were among the targets destroyed, the statement added.

BBC