Iraq's Road to Counterinsurgency
By Robert Tollast. The following opinions are the authors only, and do not necessarily represent the views of Iraq Business News. This article examines Iraq’s localised and national level attempts to foster pan sectarian cooperation against ISIL, looked at in the context of previous counterinsurgency campaigns fought by Britain and the US. “Our fighting against […]
Daesh Launch Small Offensive
By Simon Kent. Al Jazeera have reported a string of violent incidents in Iraq in the past 24 hours. In Salahaddin, a suicide bomber targeted a meeting of anti ISIL Sunni Sheikhs, killing at least 18 people. ISIL and its predecessor ISI have long targeted opposing Sunnis, fearing widespread Sunni opposition in Iraq would undermine […]
Lukoil: Grade Split Helps Exports
By Simon Kent. Lukoil, the Russian energy giant with one of the biggest investments in southern Iraq at the vast West Qurna 2 oil field, have issued a statement in support of Iraq's move to split crude grades into Basra Heavy and Basra Light. Previously, different grades arrived at Basra for blending, which not only […]
Sterling Expand HSE Training
By Robert Tollast. Sterling, the international Health, Safety and Environment oil and gas and construction specialists, have expanded their HSE training site in Erbil. Sterling focus on HSE consulting, building capacity to mitigate risks and environmental hazards, as well as preventing and dealing with major incidents in construction and the energy sector. The expanded centre will […]
Ceyhan: Some Oil Cargoes Cancelled
By Simon Kent. Sources at Ceyhan have told Reuters that there is insufficient oil in the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) tanks at the port to fill planned cargoes. Both BP and Spain's Cepsa have cancelled shipments, and no oil has gone to SOMO storage for the past ten days. According to sources, this […]
Anti-ISIL Sunnis Lack Support
By Robert Tollast. The BBC's Orla Guerin has filed a report from Anbar after spending time with a Sheikh from the Albu Issa tribe. The report relays another example of a growing number of complaints from anti-ISIL Sheikhs in the strategic province. Many Sheikhs assert that the government is not giving them enough funds and […]
Gazprom: Badra Production Doubled
By Robert Tollast. Russia's Gazprom Neft has announced that production at the Badra field in Wasit province is close to double last year's production, now reaching 28,000 bpd. Gazprom Neft's commercial production and exports at Badra started in September last year, after the company signed a contract to develop the field in January 2010, as […]
Germany to Train Yazidi Fighters
By Simon Kent. As of today, personnel from the German army will be training fighters from the Yazidi ethnic minority in northern Iraq. The Yazidi's (pictured: Yazidi religious symbol) are an ancient religion from Northern Iraq and shot to global attention in June last year, when they became the target of a genocidal attack by the "Islamic State." […]
NATO to Re-Launch Iraq Mission
By Simon Kent. NATO have announced that they are in talks with Iraqi officials to revive a coordinated training mission for Iraqi officers. Previously, NATO was in Iraq during the war against the ISIS predecessor, ISI, the Islamic State of Iraq. At that time, NATO was generally involved with training the Iraqi army in Jordan and […]
Zain Iraq Shares Jump on ISX Debut
By Simon Kent. Zain Iraq is now listed on the Baghdad stock exchange, some 4 years after the company was required to do so under the terms of their market entry to Iraq, Reuters reports. Analysts such as Hassan Aldahan, chairman of Baghdad investment company Bain Alnahrain, explained that the 50% rise on share value was artificially […]
Rif'at al Chadirji Wins Tamayouz Award
By Robert Tollast. Iraqi architect Rif'at al Chadirji has been awarded the 2015 Tamayouz Architectural Lifetime Achievement Award in a ceremony at the University of Coventry, UK. Michael Fitzpatrick, the Dean of Engineering and Computing at the university, presented the award which was announced on line in English and Arabic (video.) The architect and author was […]
Unaoil Joins IBBC
The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) has just welcomed Unaoil as its latest member. A provider of industrial oil and gas solutions, Unaoil's services include engineering and construction, workforce solutions, and repair and maintenance. The company has been active in Iraq since 2003 and engages over 1,100 people working in and for Iraq, 75 percent […]