PM Abadi’s political manoeuvres continued to lead to a number of dismissals within key ministries. On 01 December, the Prime Minister retired 24 senior Interior Ministry officials as part of government restructuring. This decision comes as central authorities uncovered an estimated 50,000 ‘ghost soldiers’ on the military payroll, prompting the government to take steps towards […]
From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias were battling IS group militants in Balad, 80km north of Baghdad, in an effort to push the jihadists back:
According to casualty figures released today by UNAMI, a total of 1,232 Iraqis were killed and another 2,434 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in November 2014. The number of civilians killed was 936 (including 61 civilian police), while the number of civilians injured was 1,826 (including 71 civilian police). A further 296 […]
By John Lee. The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Iraq for C-130E/J sustainment and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $800 million. The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale for a five-year sustainment package for the C-130E/J fleet that includes operational, […]
By John Lee. Three taxi drivers have reportedly been arrested on charges of transporting a group of Iranian prostitutes into Iraqi Kurdistan. Security forces told BasNews that they arrested the drivers at the Haji Omaran border crossing (pictured), between the Kurdistan Region and Iran. The women are said to be Iranian and Kurdish Iranian. (Source: […]
By John Lee. Islamic State militants have reportedly blocked all mobile phone networks in Mosul. According to BasNews, an official at one of the mobile phone operators said his company was investigating the issue, but declined to give further details. According to reports, shutting down of phone lines is a notable change from what has […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. After five days of intense fighting in Diyala Province, Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces have managed to push back the ISIL/ISIS/IS advance. Many have been killed, and thousands left homeless. Ahmed Nasir is […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Iraqi army says it has held off a fierce assault by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS, IS) on the city of Ramadi. Meanwhile, coalition airstrikes have killed […]
Captive Women and Girls at the Hands of Terrorist Groups are Iraq’s Bleeding Wound At the launch of the ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence’ between 25 November and 10 December, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Nickolay Mladenov (pictured) said “My wholehearted thoughts go on that day […]
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today welcomed Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Raymond Odierno, who is visiting to assess firsthand the status of the fight against ISIS terrorists and the cooperation between the Peshmerga, the coalition forces and the Iraqi forces. General Odierno commended the bravery of the peshmerga forces and […]
By John Lee. The Czech Foreign Minister, Lubomír Zaorálek and Deputy Defense Minister, Tomáš Kuchta, is to visit Iraq this week with a delegation of businesspeople to boost business deals, mainly in the defense sector. “Negotiations about the supplies of aviation technology, the pilots' training and the armoring of helicopters are underway there,” Kuchta told […]
By Omar al-Jaffal for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. No one in the southern Iraqi province Basra believed that families would flock to Hurriyah (Freedom) Square to see and sit by the new monument after it was greatly ridiculed in newspapers […]
