UN Envoy Calls for the Full Integration of Women in Iraqi Society On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Nickolay Mladenov (pictured) welcomed the fact that Iraq, despite uneven progress, is one of the countries in the Middle East that has been […]
Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu visited Kurdistan during the week, where he met with President Masoud Barzani and the KRG Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani to discuss further strengthening relations between Turkey and the KRG; and to attend the Second Sulaimani Forum at the American University of Iraq – Sulaimani (AUIS). The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet […]
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all but essential travel to Iraq. Travel within Iraq remains dangerous given the security situation. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning dated September 5, 2013, to update information on security incidents and to remind U.S. citizens of ongoing security concerns in Iraq, including kidnapping and terrorist […]
The United Nations Iraq and the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement today launched an appeal to address the immediate humanitarian needs of the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the ongoing fighting in Anbar Province. The Strategic Response Plan will benefit up to 240,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as well as those within […]
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari held talks in Tehran last week with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on the issue of the Shatt al- Arab, land borders and border rivers. The talks were held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere with a common desire to address the […]
By Constellis Consulting www.constellis-consulting.com Amid levels of violence in line with previous weekly averages, movements in the political sphere highlighted the different electoral strategies being followed by the government ahead of the parliamentary elections. On 25 February, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki stated the importance of maintaining the elections in April, confirming that the current timeframe […]
UN Casualty Figures for February 2014, Anbar province excluded According to casualty figures released today by UNAMI, a total of 703 Iraqis were killed and another 1,381 were injured in acts of terrorism and violence in February*. The number of civilians killed was 564 (including 152 civilian police), while the number of civilians injured was […]
By John Lee. Angola's Sonangol has decided to abandon its Qayara and Najmah oilfields in Nineveh province due to security problems. Reuters reports that Anabela Fonseca, Sonangol board member in charge of international investments, told a news conference: "Our presence in Iraq was as an operator in an area with much conflict. Last year we […]
By Constellis Consulting www.constellis-consulting.com Amid continued unrest in the outskirts of Fallujah and Ramadi, ISF forces regained control of Sulaiman Pek, Salahuddin province, which was overrun by ISIL militants on 13 February. This outcome contrasts with the situation in Anbar, where a much more complex tribal landscape has prevented a direct assault on urban areas […]
By John Lee. An investigation by Reuters has found that Iraq has purchased $195 million worth of small arms, ammunition and infantry kit from Iran, in addition to artillery ammunition. The move will likely unnerve some observers in the US, but analysts are still divided over the extent of Iranian influence in Iraq. Touted by an […]
Minister Falah Mustafa, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, addressed a conference in the European Parliament on human rights in Kurdistan and Iraq during a two-day official visit to Brussels this week. Minister Mustafa also met with members of the European Parliament, government officials from the European Union and Belgium and visited both […]
By Constellis Consulting www.constellis-consulting.com Amid sustained levels of violence, this week was dominated by Muqtada al-Sadr’s withdrawal from politics. The announcement, made on 15 February, comes only two months before parliamentary elections for which Sadr was considered a serious candidate for the office of Prime Minister. While reasons behind his decision remain speculative, Sadr has […]
