All six ministers from Iraq’s largest Sunni bloc tendered their resignation from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition government on Wednesday following a month-long spat. The decision by the National Concord Front effectively ends any claim by the Shi’ite-dominated coalition to be a government of national unity.

As a joint operation by United States and Iraqi troops to win control of Baghdad made more progress on Thursday, their insurgent foes were fighting back with deadly new tactics, including poison-gas attacks. Iraqi medics were treating dozens of patients poisoned by chlorine after militants targeted civilian areas with trucks rigged up as ‘dirty bombs’.

Iraq postponed hanging two of Saddam Hussein’s henchmen on Thursday amid international pressure following the ousted dictator’s bungled and much criticised hanging. Meanwhile, two justice ministry guards are being held for questioning in connection with the secret filming of Saddam’s final moments.

Judges put Saddam Hussein’s appeal process into motion on Monday as Baghdad lifted a round-the-clock curfew imposed to prevent attacks in the aftermath of the ousted president’s death sentence. Saddam was sentenced to hang by the Iraqi high tribunal, which found him guilty on Sunday of crimes against humanity.

Iraqi troops dragged prisoners to a pit dug out of the desert sands and shot them two-by-two under the lights of a waiting bulldozer, a survivor of Saddam Hussein’s alleged genocide said on Tuesday. The ousted Iraqi leader sat impassively in the dock as five witness gave their testimony.

The prosecutor in the genocide trial of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on Wednesday demanded that the chief judge resign, saying he was too lenient with defendants who had threatened lawyers and witnesses. ”Defendants have gone too far, with unacceptable expressions and words,” prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon said at the opening of the latest hearing.