Iraq has removed the head of its state South Oil Company, who earlier this year came out against the Oil Ministry's plans to auction off major energy fields, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Fayad al-Nema, who shortly after being appointed, publicly criticised the ministry's first round of bidding for eight oil and gas fields culminating in a June 30 auction, had been transferred to a different job at the ministry in Baghdad.

Dabbagh said no decision had been made about who would replace Nema.-Reuters