Finland Boosts Training Mission
By Simon Kent. Finland is set to increase its training and assistance mission to Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces, sending an extra 50 commandos to help the Kurds counter improvised explosive devices and other ISIS tactics. The move came amid some debate in the Finnish parliament, but MPs' concerns were assuaged by the fact that the […]
ISIS in Iraq Hit by 21 Coalition Air Strikes
By Simon Kent. One of the problems the so called Islamic State have encountered recently is the transition from being a terrorist group to a terrorist army. Of course, an army has far more targets to hit from the air and ISIS continually discover this the hard way. According to the most recent statement from […]
Al Sadr Calls on UN Help
By Simon Kent. As Iraq's political crisis drags on, Moqtada al Sadr's erratic posturing continues. Last month, he called for mass demonstrations outside of the International Zone in Baghdad, formerly the Green Zone, and threatened to storm the area with protesters unless PM Abadi appointed a technocratic cabinet. But when Abadi announced 14 nominees, Al […]
Defense Secretary Carter Urges GCC to Help Iraq
By Simon Kent. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has met with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani and six of his counterparts from the GCC, to discuss the war against the so called Islamic State in Iraq. The meeting comes ahead of a planned GCC summit this week, which Barack Obama will attend. But underlying the […]
Iraq Plans New Bond Issuance
By Simon Kent. Iraqi Central Bank Governor Ali Al-Alak has said that Iraq is issuing bonds to the value of around $2 billion in the next few months, following last year's aborted issuance after investors demanded too high a yield. At the time, investors demanded an 11% yield on the bonds, and the issuance was handled […]
Iraq Faces Schools Crisis
By Wassim Bassem for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. BABIL, Iraq — Under the rule of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (2006-14), $150 million was allocated to the construction and development of public schools in several Iraqi areas. Yet only […]
Iranian Gas Exports to Iraq to Hit $3.7 Billion
By Simon Kent. The National Iranian Gas Transmission Company has announced that 100km of pipeline has been completed on the Iranian side of the border, part of a planned 270km network to take gas to power stations near Baghdad. The project is part of a deal signed between both countries in 2013, whereby Iran would export […]
Iraq: New Attempt at OPEC Deal in June
By Simon Kent. Iraq's representative to OPEC Falah Al-Amri has announced that plans are underway for a second round of talks on freezing OPEC output in June. Currently, Iran is now the sticking point in any such deal, aiming for 4 million BPD by March, and one Iranian official has called talks by non-OPEC members of […]
ISIS Suffer New Funding Crisis
By Simon Kent. A think tank has estimated that the so called Islamic State have suffered another major blow to their finances, losing another 30% of their income in the course of a year. The news comes after reports in January that the group slashed the salaries of fighters by over half. In that respect, […]
Abadi Faces New Cabinet Deadline
By Simon Kent. Hard-line cleric Moqtada al Sadr has given PM Haider al Abadi (pictured) until this afternoon to announce new nominees for a new "technocratic cabinet," a reform idea first touted in February, although the composition of the cabinet will depend on parliament. Abadi has called on parliament "to convene immediately in order to overcome the […]
Iraq Takes Delivery of Ground Attack Jets
By Simon Kent. Iraq's Ministry of Defence has announced that a delivery of three SU-25 ground attack aircraft have arrived in the country for the fight against the so called Islamic State. The Russian made SU-25, known by its NATO code name "Frogfoot," is a slow moving but heavily armed ground attack jet, and several […]
Kurdish Integrity Commission: 21 Cases Under Review
By Simon Kent. According to Judge Sedqi Salimkhan, the Integrity Commission of the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI) is reviewing 21 corruption cases including an official from the Sulaimani Immigration Department who has been accused of spending funds intended for internally displaced people (refugees.) The anti-corruption initiative is part of a wave of reforms that Kurdish President […]