As 2013 came to a close, months of sustained violence and devastating atrocities in Iraq saw a civilian death toll on a par with those recorded in 2008 and more than double the figure for 2012. The deepening of the fault lines splitting the country, the intensifying of the Sunni / Shia violence and the […]
Archive | Security
Aegis to Support Basra Security
By John Lee. London-based Aegis Defence Services has been selected by the Governor of Basra to provide him and his Security Committee with support in the procurement of enhancements to their security. A formal contract was signed recently in Basra between the Governor and Aegis Chief Executive Graham Binns (pictured), who as a Major General […]
Tags: Aegis, Basra News
13 Russian Choppers Arrive in Iraq
By John Lee. The Voice of Russia reports that 13 Russian Mi-28NE “Night Hunter” helicopters have arrived in Iraq. The Alsumaria television channel said the helicopters would be used in the counter-terrorism operations in Anbar Province. The shipment is part of a total deal for around 40 Mi-35 and Mi-28NE attack helicopters to be supplied […]
$6b Refinery Deal to be Investigated
By John Lee. An Iraqi parliamentary committee has asked the Commission of Integrity to investigate the contract awarded to Satarem to build a $6-billion refinery in Maysan. Iraq Business News' Expert Blogger Ahmed Mousa Jiyad recently questioned the legitimacy of the contract signed with the Swiss company, prompting the Ministry of Oil to issue a statement […]
Tags: Ahmed Mousa Jiyad, Commission on Integrity, Corruption, Maysan, Missan, Missan refinery, Satarem, Switzerland
Video: Iraq and the ISIL Explained
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. At the end of 2012, Sunni tribes in Iraq's Anbar province began a series of protests that lasted throughout 2013. The initial demand was for the release of Sunni detainees; the detention of […]
Resolution of Anbar Crisis Requires Coordination
By Mushreq Abbas for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Resolution of Anbar crisis requires security, political coordination When the Iraqi army marched on the Anbar desert on Dec. 22 to wage war against al-Qaeda fighters along the Iraqi-Syrian border, the operation […]
Video: Govt Loses Control of Fallujah
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki has vowed to eliminate "all terrorist groups" from Anbar province as a security source conceded the government had lost control of the town of Fallujah to al-Qaeda […]
Video: "Iraq Must be Solved Politically" - Gerges
From CNN. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News CNN's Isha Sesay speaks to Fawaz Gerges about the sectarian dynamics of the surging violence in Iraq:
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Chinese Firm Suspected of Fraud
By John Lee. China's Caixin has reported that the Missan Oil Company (MOC) has suspended all activities of a company called Hermic, an oilfield service company controlled by former executives of the China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC). Hermic is said to have won at least 12 engineering outsourcing contracts worth US$75 million from CNPC at the […]
Tags: China, China National Petroleum Corporation, CNPC, Corruption, DRK Energy, HaLFAYA, Hermic, Maysan, Maysan Oil Company, Missan, Missan Oil Company, Power Petroleum
Basra Governor Speaks on Corruption, Security
By Mushreq Abbas for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Basra governor Majid al-Nasrawi confirmed that his city had contracted a British security consulting firm (whose name he would not disclose before the completion of the contract) […]
Tags: Basra News, Hill International
Video: Professor says PM needs to do More
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Sunni Muslim tribesmen in Iraq's Anbar province have seized control of all police stations in Fallujah, with armed men removing all officials from their posts as the army remains positioned outside the city's […]
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Civilian Casualties Highest since 2008
According to casualty figures released by UNAMI, a total of 759 Iraqis were killed and another 1,345 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in December*. The number of civilians killed was 661 (including 175 civilian police), while the number of civilians injured was 1201 (including 258 civilian police). A further 98 members of […]