By John Lee. A report by Chris Dalby of Oilprice.com finds that the 11 oil fields that IS controls in Iraq and Syria have made it a largely independent financial machine. Its fields in Iraq alone are thought to produce between 25,000 and 40,000 barrels of oil per day, earning it an estimated $1.2 million [1.4 […]
By John Lee. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters have reportedly driven Islamic State (IS) fighters from the strategic border town of Rabia on Tuesday. According to a report from Reuters, the victory was achieved with help from Kurds from the Syrian side of the frontier, a new sign of cross-border cooperation. Members of the influential Sunni Shammar […]
Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 aircraft have been in action over Iraq today in the fight against ISIL. This action is part of the international coalition’s operations to support the democratic Iraqi government. In the course of an armed reconnaissance mission from RAF Akrotiri, 2 Tornados were tasked to assist Kurdish troops in north west […]
Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday met Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Istanbul on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum event. In the meeting both sides discussed the latest political and military developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the process of forming a new government in Iraq, the participation of the Kurdistan Region […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. It's been a day of mixed fortunes for the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. The group has been losing territory in Iraq, but making gains inside Syria. In Iraq, government forces […]
From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. French expats in Erbil, Iraq, say they try to lead a normal life, despite threats against French citizens by the Islamic State. At the French school here, the walls have been enhanced and armed […]
By Anne-Laure Barbosa at Constellis Consulting High levels of violence continued to plague Iraq’s security environment, with general dynamics in line with pre-established patterns. Whilst ISF counter-offensives were successful in re-taking some of the lost territories in Anbar and Diyala, the situation remained generally stagnant, with pro-government forces and insurgents each failing to make major gains. […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Sunni Arab population in Kirkuk has rapidly increased in recent months, with many fleeing fighting and making the province their new home. The influx has made it increasingly difficult for security forces […]
By John Lee. Defense News reports that a proposed $4.8-billion deal to sell the latest Apache AH-64E helicopters to Iraq may have fallen through. According to the report, the US government made Baghdad a formal offer for the 24 helicopters, along with spare parts and a comprehensive training program, but the Iraqis have not yet […]
This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. To Be Independent Or Not: Iraqi’s Northern Province After The Islamic State? As local forces appear to be preparing to take on Sunni Muslim extremists in charge of their hometowns, […]
By John Lee. The United States is reported to be planning to build three new military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan. According to BASnews, one of the bases would be in Erbil, another at Hareer military base north of Erbil, and a third Atrush, close to Dohuk. The Atrush base would be used for Apache helicopters. […]
New Security Council Resolution 2178 Particularly Encouraging for Iraq, SRSG Mladenov says The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General today welcomed the unanimous adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 2178 (2014), condemning violent extremism and requiring States to work together by implementing laws and policies to prevent travel, and support for foreign terrorist […]
