With unrest in several Arab cities, many in the region are worried about the risk of contagion. The latest flashpoints are Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan and Algeria; but is Iraq vulnerable as well? The people certainly have a lot to complain about. Electricity The heat and increased use of air conditioning put a major strain […]
Overview Last week saw considerable violence in Iraq, particularly in Baghdad. There was also a spate of attacks in Mosul and two especially bloody bombings in Karbala. Over 100 fatalities and up to 250 injuries were recorded in total around the country. There was also an increase in targeted shootings in the capital, resuming a […]
An official spokesman for Iraq's Oil Ministry's said on Wednesday that there were fewer attacks on Iraq's oil pipelines in 2010 than in previous years. "The Oil Ministry's Technical Department had prepared a statistic on the number of attacks against oil installations that reached 65 attacks in 2010, compared with 81 attacks in 2009," Assem […]
An Iraqi Government spokesman said on Wednesday that the Council of Ministers have approved the purchase of 18 F-16 Falcon military aircraft as part of a weapons deal signed with the U.S. administration. Ali al-Dabbagh said in a news conference today following the Cabinet meeting that the U.S. will deliver the aircraft to Iraq within […]
Overview Last week was one of the most violent in Iraq for several months. Over 120 people were killed and several hundred injured in a spate of suicide attacks. The total number of attacks reported did not significantly increase, but with at least seven of the attacks involving suicide bombers in very crowded areas it […]
BACTEC International Limited, one of the world’s leading Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Mine Action companies, announced the opening of its Basra office in January. The company’s head quarters are located in the UK with branches in Australia, Cambodia, Libya, Lao, Philippines and Mozambique. BACTEC also has an office in Sulaimani to support Kurdistan operations. BACTEC […]
Overview Levels of violence fell last week, but the past 48 hours have seen three suicide attacks in the central provinces, killing dozens and injuring over 200. As with the recent spate in assassinations in the centre of the country, the main target of the suicide bombers were state employees and members of the Iraqi […]
By UK Embassy in Baghdad: Sometimes red tape is a good thing – not a thing I would normally say or think as a civil servant. Let me explain. One of the best things UK does in Iraqi Kurdistan is train police forensics teams. We have spent a lot of money on it and we […]
The Kuwaiti premier, Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah (pictured), and Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, discussed issues relating to borders, security and finance, during the first visit by a Kuwaiti premier to Baghdad since the 1990 Gulf War. The two neighbours are locked in a dispute over billions of dollars in war reparations from Baghdad, relating […]
Overview Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week. Militant activity was concentrated in the central region, although there were also several bombings in Mosul. The majority of explosive devices detonated over the week were small, usually inflicting injuries rather than fatalities. Shootings are currently more of a concern, with the authorities put on high […]
A Kuwaiti coast guard died following an exchange of fire with an Iraqi fishing boat in an incident that highlights the need for discussions on controlling the border, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said. Bloomberg reports that Iraq is investigating the events yesterday, which also led to the sinking of the vessel. Four Iraqis aboard […]
Four people, including three children, were kidnapped by criminals then freed by the authorities in Iraq last week. In recent months consular warnings have continued to remind foreign nationals of the risk of abduction still present in the country. With a rise in foreigners travelling to the country it may only be a matter of […]
