Baghdad - The Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was nominated Wednesday for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to a government source.

The government nominated Maliki for his efforts in sustaining peace in Iraq, the Iraqi national information center said in a statement quoted by the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency.

Since the Shiite premier came to power in 2006 violence had significantly decreased in Iraq. However, some critics think that his policies still discriminate between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq.

Sunni tribal police also known as Awakening Councils complain that they do not get enough jobs in Iraq's police and security forces. (dpa)