By Michael Knights and Amir al-Kaabi for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Mainstreaming Hashd Commanders (Part 1): Advanced Education for Senior Militiamen U.S.-designated terrorists and human rights abusers are beginning to receive senior ranks, […]
By Amir al-Kaabi and Michael Knights for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Mainstreaming Hashd Commanders (Part 2): Fifty-Fold Increase in Officer Training This year has seen a massive increase in the training of Iraqi […]
From Human Rights Watch (HRW). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq: Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Criticism of Security Forces A criminal court in Baghdad sentenced an activist to three years in prison on December 5, 2022, for alleged criticism of the […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Opposition in southern Iraq rejects election results The Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has claimed victory in Iraq's election, but some of the main political parties have rejected the results. Al Jazeera's Mahmoud […]
By Michael Knights, Hamdi Malik, Crispin Smith, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Changing of the Guard: New Iraqi Militia Trends and Responses In the year since their most iconic leaders were killed, Iran-backed […]
By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. On July 26, the Iraqi government announced that the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) will be converted into “an independent military formation affiliated with the armed forces’ commander-in-chief.” The Shiite force […]
By Mustafa Saadoun for Al Monitor. Any views expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The official website of the League of the Righteous movement (Asaib Ahl al-Haq) reported Aug. 14 a visit by the Italian ambassador to Baghdad, Marco Carnelos, to league Secretary-General […]
By Jean Aziz for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. A hotel in Beirut was the scene of a series of secret meetings Aug. 8-11 between a diplomatic delegation that included representatives from Western countries and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and a delegation […]
By Mustafa Saadoun for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Alaa Abboud, the spokesman for the Peace Brigades, the armed faction of the Sadrist movement, said in a TV interview with a local Iraqi channel July 20, “We will […]
By Mustafa Sadoon for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The military protocol agreement signed July 12 between the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government and the United States might create controversy in Iraq’s public and political circles, especially those that do not have good relations with the […]
By Simon Kent. Iraq's PM Haider al Abadi has announced that a major battle to retake Fallujah from ISIS has begun. The town fell under the control of the terrorists in January 2014, after security deteriorated following months of Sunni protests against the government of Nouri al Maliki. Protesters accused Maliki of rounding up hundreds […]
By Simon Kent. Elements of three Iraqi army divisions have cut off Fallujah, bolstered by Ministry of Interior forces and Hashd al Shaabi paramilitaries. According to The Daily Beast, there is new urgency to move into the center of the town, which is a short drive from Baghdad, following a wave of bombings targeting civilians in the […]
