IS-Controlled Areas Banned from Hajj
By John Lee. The Iraqi government has not provided planes for citizens of the provinces of Nineveh, Salahaddin, Anbar and all areas under the control of Islamic State insurgents, who wish to undertake Hajj pilgrimage. According to the report from BasNews, the has angered Sunni people who live in IS-controlled areas. Hajj is an annual Islamic […]
Currency Auction Results, 16th Sept
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has reported that 19 banks took part in its currency auction on Tuesday. A total of $236,497,000 was sold at a price of 1166 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) per dollar. (Source: Central Bank of Iraq)
International Community Supports Baghdad Against IS
At an international conference in Paris, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, representatives of European and Arab states, and representatives of the EU, Arab League and United Nations, have all pledged to help the government in Baghdad fight against Islamic State militants. The full statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is […]
More Assistance for Displaced Persons
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has pledged to intensify its humanitarian activities in Iraq, and to increase assistance for more than 1.5 million Iraqis displaced as a result of continuous fighting in various parts of the country. The pledge was made during a visit to Iraq by Movement leaders that included the […]
Iraq-Iran Gas Pipeline Operational by March
By Patrick M Schmidt. The Managing Director of the Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company, Alireza Gharibi, said he expected tests to begin on the new Iran-Iraq gas pipeline by next month. "Operations for the construction of Iran-Iraq gas pipeline are complete and we are now in the pre-startup testing phase, after which the pipeline […]
German Advisors Arrive in Kurdistan
By Patrick M Schmidt. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has welcomed forty German military advisors who will begin training Peshmerga security forces on weapons newly received from Germany. The advisors have previous experience training foreign militaries. The German military assistance package is valued at $92 million and is aimed to assist in their fight against […]
Oil Pipeline Sabotaged in Diwaniya
By John Lee. An oil pipeline passing through the governorate of Diwaniya has reportedly been sabotaged by an explosion, the first event of its kind in the province. Aswat al-Iraq reports that the explosion was made by dynamite underneath the pipeline that runs from Basra to Baghdad. The explosion took place in Saniya area, 12 […]
Video: Shia Group Accused of Revenge Attacks
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Shia militias fighting against the Islamic State group (IS) in Iraq have been accused of exacting revenge against Sunnis. Kurdish fighters say the Iranian-backed Badr brigade, has carried out reprisals against villagers suspected […]
Currency Auction Results, 15th Sept
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has reported that 18 banks took part in its currency auction on Monday. A total of $237,698,000 was sold at a price of 1166 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) per dollar. (Source: Central Bank of Iraq)
Listing of New Iraqi Cabinet
Niqash has issued the following listing of the new Iraqi cabinet, translated from the Arabic official government announcement: Deputy Prime Ministers: Hoshyar Zebari (Kurdish); Saleh al-Mutlaq (Sunni); Bahaa al-Araji (Shiite) Ministry of Agriculture: Falah Hassan al-Zaidan (Sunni) Ministry of Communication: Kazem Hassan Rashed (Shiite) Ministry of Construction and Housing: Tariq al-Khikani (Shiite) Ministry of Culture: […]
Central Bank gets New Governor
By John Lee. The Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Ali Mohsin Ismail (pictured), has been appointed Governor o the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), replacing Dr Abdulbasit Turki [Abdul Basit Turki Saeed]. His position as GSCOM is to be filled by Dr. Hamed khalaf Ahmad. Mr Ismail said he was leaving his former […]
Money from Fake Bomb Detectors Repatriated
By John Lee. Iraq's Commission of Integrity has reportedly repatriated five billion Iraqi dinars [$4.3 million] that were smuggled to Lebanon. According to Aswat al Iraq, the money, in addition to some real estate investments, were illegally obtained by British businessman James (Jim) McCormick, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Britain for […]