Archive | 2015

Jordan Offers Military Assistance to Iraq

By Patrick Schmidt. Following a meeting with Jordanian General Mohammed al-Zaben, Iraq’s Minister of Defense Khaled al-Obaidi announced that Jordan had offered all of its military power to assist in the fight against the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL). The Jordanian general relayed the message from King Abdullah. Jordan has taken an increasingly active role […]

Kurds Reject Proposed Rival Force in Kirkuk

By Mohammed A. Salih for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. A law to found a paramilitary National Guard force in Iraq to assist in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) has put Kurds at loggerheads with other communities in northern […]

Iraq to Launch Offensive Against IS

By Patrick Schmidt. General George Allen, coordinator of the international coalition fighting against the Islamic State (IS), announced that the Iraqi Security Forces would begin a ground offensive against the group in the coming weeks. The offensive will be supported by the international coalition’s airpower. The coalition has launched over 2,000 airstrikes against the Islamic […]

Kurdistan Needs $1.4bn to Stabilize Economy

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq Needs an Estimated US$1.4 billion this Year to Stabilize the Economy The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is facing an economic and humanitarian crisis as a result of the influx of Syrian refugees (starting in early 2012) and more recently the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in 2014. According to a newly […]

Iraq Oil Exports for January Decline

By Patrick Schmidt. The Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports averaged 2.516 million barrels per day in January. This number represents a decrease of almost fifteen percent from December 2014. Based on international oil prices, this would create revenue of $3.258 billion. December 2014 boasted revenue of $5.161 billion for Iraq. Oil revenue makes […]

Security Council Targets ISIL Financing

Security Council approves resolution targeting sources of financing for ISIL Urging global cooperation “to impair, isolate and incapacitate” terrorist threats, the United Nations Security Council today approved measures targeting sources of funding for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Nusrah Front (ANF), condemning those buying oil from the groups, banning all […]

Iraqi Tribes Become 'State within a State'

By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Equipped with various firearms, convoys of tribal members can be seen across Iraq, in defiance of the laws prohibiting the firing of guns into the air. This causes major economic losses, while the country […]

ISIS Targets ExxonMobil Site

By John Lee. Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL) militants have attacked Peshmerga forces on the Khazir frontline, north of Mosul, with the aim of seizing equipment and machinery belonging to US oil company ExxonMobil. A Peshmerga commander told BasNews that the extremist group was forced back from the area, including the key villages of Wardik […]

Agreement to Support Displaced Iraqis in Kerbala

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kerbala Governorate in Central Iraq to enhance cooperation on migration management and emergency response activities. IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss, and the Governor of Kerbala, Aqeel Omran Al-Turahi, signed the MoU in a ceremony at the governorate administrative […]

Anbar Residents take Refuge in Ramadi

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Dozens of Iraqi refugees from the Bo-Nimir tribe, from the IS-controlled Anbar province, take shelter in makeshift homes in Ramadi, in northern Baghdad, as they wait for an opportunity to go back home:

Iraq Trebles Size of Gold Reserves

By John Lee. A report released this morning by the World Gold Council says that Iraq's Central Bank bought 48 tonnes of gold during 2014, trebling the size of its gold reserves over the year. Fortification and diversification of reserves, namely away from the US dollar, continues to be the driving force behind this activity, […]