Tag Archives | Islamic State

Is the Shiite Revival Here?

By Ali Mamouri for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. In the book "The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future," Vali Nasr, an Iranian-American researcher on the crises in the Middle East, came to the conclusion in 2006 […]

3G Should Bolster Telco Revenues

By John Lee. A telecommunications analyst has said that the recent launch of 3G services in Iraq should stabilize the revenue and profit of Iraq’s mobile phone operators this year, following the difficulties caused by the war against the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL). Omar Maher of EFG Hermes told Reuters that 2016 could see high […]

Cyprus to Open Office in Erbil

Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides, received Minister Falah Mustafa on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties between the Kurdistan Region and the Republic of Cyprus as well as latest developments in the wider region. In welcoming Minister Mustafa and his accompanying delegation, Foreign Minister Kasoulides said, “We are determined to […]

Profile: Qassem Suleimani

Iraqi army and militia forces are fighting to take back Tikrit from the so-called Islamic State. Pulling the strings on the Iraqi side is an Iranian: Major-General Qassem Suleimani, the 'shadow commander' who has been described as the single most powerful operative in the Middle East. As the leader of the foreign branch of Iran's […]

Iraq Accepts Int'l Support Against IS

By Mustafa al-Kadhimi for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Some Shiite circles in Iraq are unhappy about the US role in the war against the Islamic State (IS), and some politicians are saying that Washington is offering aid to IS […]

Why Army is Stuck on Outskirts of Tikrit

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The offensive to re-take Tikrit from extremists seems to have stalled as troops surround the city but cannot go further. The same thing is happening elsewhere. And there are three […]

PM Barzani: Shiite Militias should be Regulated

By Amberin Zaman for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. As the battle grinds on against the Islamic State — also known as IS, ISIL and Daesh — there is growing concern about the mounting influence of Iran and Shiite militias known […]

FM al-Jaafari Meets Syrian President al-Assad

By John Lee. During an official visit to Syria on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al Jaafari met Syrian President, Bashar Al Assad, and Foreign Minister, Walid Al Muallem. Minister Jaafari stressed in a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart that the visit is part of Iraq's diplomatic endeavor to communicate with all world […]

Germania Suspends Erbil Flights

By John Lee. Germania has suspended air services to Erbil, which has come under increasing threat from Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL) terrorists. Germany's Federal Ministry for Transport (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur - BMVI) has prohibited all flights by German airlines to Erbil until 30th March 2015 (inclusive). Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Emirates, Etihad […]

PM al-Abadi to Visit US

By John Lee. President Obama will host Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi at the White House on Tuesday, April 14. According to a statement from the United States' Embassy in Baghdad, the Prime Minister’s visit underscores the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq and the strong U.S. commitment to political and military cooperation […]

The Many Names of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

By Ali Hashem for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Even to those who have hunted him and followed his every move, Islamic State (IS) Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi remains a mystery. “Before anything I want to understand why he became like […]