Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki Saturday warned of a new wave of attacks across the country to be carried out by militant groups led by al-Qaida days ahead of the U.S. forces end combat mission in the country, Xinhua reported.
  
"The government has information that al-Qaida in Iraq and members of the outlawed Baath party are planning to wage attacks," Maliki said in a statement without elaborating.
  
He said that the attacks are planned to hit "selected provinces from the south to the north" of the country.
  
Maliki called on the "Iraqi security forces and local governments to take necessary measures to prevent any security breach."
  
Maliki's comments came days before the Aug. 31 deadline for the U.S. military to formally announce the end of its combat operations in the country as planned by U.S. President Barack Obama.