Baghdad - The Iraqi Presidential Board on Saturday ratified Article 50 of the law on provincial council elections, concerned with the controversial issue of representation of minorities in local councils.

"Today, the Presidential Board ratified Article 50 of the provincial council elections law, which was approved by the Parliament last week," the head of the presidential office, Naseer al-Aani, told Voices of Iraq news agency.

On Monday, the Iraqi Parliament approved legislation that guarantees six seats for the country's minorities in provincial councils in Baghdad, Mosul and Basra.

That move sparked heated protests from several political blocs representing the country's minorities who are demanding greater representation than the foreseen six seats.

Meanwhile, violent attacks continues in Iraq. One person was killed and seven injured earlier on Saturday in a bomb blast in northern Baghdad, police said.

The bomb went off in the al-Qahira neighborhood, damaging nearby shops and vehicles, the VOI reported.

Separately, a prominent al-Qaeda-in-Iraq leader was killed in the north of the Iraqi capital during an operation by Iraqi forces, Sahwa fighters and coalition forces, a US army statement said on Saturday.

The statement said that Abu Ghazwan was killed on Thursday in the Tarmiyah area, north of Baghdad.

The statement described Abu Ghazwan as "a key link in the network operations for al-Qaeda in Iraq."

It added that he commanded numerous terrorist cells in the Taji and Tarmiyah areas, and advised and financed other terrorist cells throughout northern Iraq. (dpa)