Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi Thursday ordered major cuts in the number of guards for officials, the latest step in a reform drive to curb corruption and streamline the government.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi Thursday ordered major cuts in the number of guards for officials, the latest step in a reform drive to curb corruption and streamline the government.

Abadi rolled out a reform program this month in response to popular pressure from weeks of protests against corruption and poor services, and to a call for drastic change from Iraq's top Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali al-Sistani.

Parliament has approved Abadi's plan along with additional measures, but a major gap remains between announcements and implementation.

Abadi ordered "major cuts in the number of personal guards for officials and the presidencies and others, reaching up to 90 percent," his office said in a statement.

He also ordered "the abolition of the special protection regiments belonging to individuals and their return to the defense and interior ministries," the statement said, referring to large guard units of some senior officials.

The measures will see over 20,000 guards who were paid more than 250 billion dinars ($208.3 million) per year to guard a limited number of officials become available for duty with the army and police, spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said.

The orders came four days after Abadi announced he was scrapping 11 of 33 cabinet posts, cutting three deputy premier and four ministerial posts, and merging four more ministries.