Archive | Security

Assessing the War on ISIS

By Mona Alami for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Islamic State’s control over large swaths of land in Iraq and Syria is slowly diminishing, as it is being aggressively pummeled by local and international forces, such as Kurdish and Iraqi […]

Video: Iraq declares Ramadi Liberated from IS

From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqi soldiers are combing the city of Ramadi for bombs after declaring it liberated from the Islamic State group in a landmark victory against the jihadists.

Italy Opens its Consulate in Erbil

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In a ceremony held yesterday, Italy's Consulate opened in Erbil, which was attended by the President of Italian Senate, Mr. Pietro Grasso and his accompanying delegation, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament and a number of Kurdistan Regional Government ministers and officials. In his speech, Prime […]

Lebanon to Open Diplomatic Mission in Erbil

Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday received the Lebanese Embassy Charge d’Affaires in Iraq, Mr. Walid Al-Ghossaini.Mr. Walid Al-Ghossaini said that his country intends to open a representation office in the Kurdistan Region capital Erbil, in a near future, to raise it later to the level of consulate. Mr. Al-Ghossaini discussed the current situation in the […]

Strikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq

U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on  Monday. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack and remotely […]

Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists

U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack and remotely piloted […]

US General: "Conventional" War Can Defeat ISIS

By Simon Kent. US General Sean McFarland, remembered by historians of the Iraq war for stabilizing the restive town of Tal Afar, has returned to lead the mission against ISIS in Iraq. In an interview with the BBC, the general explained how ISIS were a different enemy to their predecessors that the US faced in […]

Liberation of Ramadi Imminent

By Simon Kent. It was the victory of the so called "Islamic State," also known as Daesh, that shocked the world. Ramadi, capital of Anbar province and home to half a million Sunnis, fell to ISIS over the spring despite repeated proclamations from the Obama administration that the war against the terrorists was going well. […]

Heavy Coalition Air Strikes in Ramadi

By Simon Kent. Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve have released their latest press statement on the most recent air strikes in Iraq and Syria against ISIS, whom they refer to here as ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The recent reports of strikes suggest that the so called "Islamic […]

Turkish Forces Withdrawing From Iraq

By Simon Kent. Turkish President Reccip Tayyip Erdogan has announced that further withdrawals of Turkish troops are being made from Iraqi Kurdish territory following pressure from Baghdad and Washington. Baghdad had previously called the deployment of Turkish soldiers to a KDP Peshmerga base "an illegal incursion" and Barack Obama called Erdogan asking him to de-escalate tensions. […]

Saudi Re-Opens Iraq Embassy after 25 Years

By John Lee. Saudi Arabia has re-opened its embassy in Baghdad, 25 years after relations were broken over Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. The embassy will have an initial staff of 35 people, and a consulate is expected to open later in Erbil. Diplomatic relations were restored in 2004 after the toppling of the Saddam Hussein […]