By Simon Kent. The Turkish government has confirmed that two hostages have been released by the group calling themselves the "Death Division," who kidnapped the workers in Baghdad early this month, along with 16 other hostages. The two men were said to be in good condition, confirmed by both Turkish and Iraqi authorities, who also […]
By Robert Tollast. According to a report in Asharq al Awsat, later re-reported in Britain's Daily Mail and The Times of Israel, 160 US combat troops have been sent to the base of Al Assad in Anbar province. Al Assad is a vast military complex in dangerous, contested territory west of Ramadi, and according to reports, the troops […]
By Simon Kent. The US Department of Defence have released data on Coalition air strikes on ISIS in Iraq and Syria, normally indicative of 24hrs of military activity. Without context, the report reads as a list of different attacks on the terrorists with no apparent meaning other than removing ISIS fighters and equipment from […]
By Simon Kent. Shi'a cleric Moqtada al Sadr has again challenged the media image of himself as a radical "firebrand" by demanding the release of the 17 Turkish construction workers kidnapped in early September. The cleric has long had a reputation for violent anti government, anti-western and sectarian politics, after running the militias the Jaish […]
By Simon Kent. Iraq's Ministry of Migration has announced that without a surge in extra funding, the country will struggle to accommodate and provide for over 1.5 million Syrian refugees and Iraqi "internally displaced people" (IDPs) both within Iraq and the Kurdish autonomous north. Iraq's refugees are divided with the Kurdish region hosting about 46% […]
By Simon Kent. Kurdish Peshmerga forces have secured 10 villages around the town of Daquq, located not far from the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq. In the operation--supported by Coalition aircraft--the forces lost 13 men to enemy action, including roadside bombs and "explosive rigged cars." It is another sign that, when supported by air strikes, […]
By Robert Tollast. A militia group calling itself "Firqat al Mawt" or "Death Division" has released a video (still shown above) of 18 Turkish construction workers who were kidnapped from their living quarters near Sadr City. The men were in Iraq working on the construction of a football stadium, in an area with high unemployment and […]
By Simon Kent. G4S Risk Management has announced that it has won a new contract to provide security services to Basra Gas Company (BGC) for three years commencing January 2016 with a total contract value of $187 million. The exercise of a two-year extension option would bring the total value to $270 million. BGC operates […]
By Simon Kent. The US Department of Defence has announced that a further 18 air strikes have hit ISIS in Iraq in the past 24 hrs. While it is hard to assess the significance of the recent strikes in the wider campaign, a couple of the announced aerial attacks stand out, possibly indicative of the […]
By Simon Kent. ISIS have launched two suicide attacks in Anbar province, killing 13 Iraqi army soldiers and allied Sunni tribesmen, Fox News reports, citing anonymous Iraqi military sources. The attack was launched on an outpost near Ramadi and appears typical of ISIS' efforts to hinder progress re-taking the city, which has been encircled by Sunni tribal […]
As the security environment in Iraq remains complex and challenging, Security Sector Reform (SSR) is a prerequisite for both long-term stability and peace. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been engaged with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), through its Support to Security Sector Reform Phase I, to develop a National Security […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. France is hosting a conference to discuss ways of protecting religious minorities in the Middle East. The UN called for the meeting out of concern for those being persecuted by armed groups, mainly […]
