Tag Archives | Kurdistan News

The latest news from Kurdistan – security updates, reconstruction and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News.

How Iran is Winning game of chess in Kirkuk

By Fazel Hawramy for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.  For now, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has pushed the separatist Kurds back and extended the power of the federal government once again to the areas considered disputed under the […]

The Human Mules Of Iraq, Circumventing Sanctions On Iran

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. On the borders of Iraqi Kurdistan, thousands of locals find work carrying contraband goods into Iran. Recently though, the job’s been getting more dangerous thanks to the Kurdish independence referendum. […]

Int'l Flight Ban Causing Million-a-Day Losses for Kurdistan

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 Iraqi government has banned international flights from landing in Kurdistan. Locals say it's causing major financial trauma and is unfair collective punishment. No one knows when the ban will […]

Video: Iraq’s Kurds on Post-Barzani Future

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), has decided not to extend his presidential term beyond November 1. His decision came just weeks after the failure of the independence referendum he […]

"Alarming Violence" against Journalists in Northern Iraq

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the murder of a Kurdistan TV cameraman near Kirkuk and the previous day’s violence against media personnel by demonstrators in Erbil. The two separate incidents in the space of a few hours point to an alarming decline in the security of journalists in northern Iraq. The cameraman, Arkan Shareef, […]

Restrictions on Border with Iraqi Kurdistan to Be Removed

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said on Monday that the country’s border with Iraqi Kurdistan region will reopen in coming days. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a local ceremony, Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri pointed to the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Masoud Barzani’s attempts in the Iraqi Kurdistan […]

Female Booksellers turn the page on Gender Roles

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.  With its shelves filled with books by Russian and Italian authors alongside contemporary Iraqi writers, Books Town provides a welcome refuge in Baqubeh in Diyala governorate, which is known […]

Congress Threatens to Withhold Arms from Baghdad

By Bryant Harris for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.  Congress is threatening to stop sending weapons to Baghdad after reports today that Iraqi forces and Iran-backed Shiite militias are shooting at US-friendly Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. Iraqi federal […]

KRG offers to "Freeze" Results of Independence Referendum

Statement from Kurdistan Regional Government: As Iraq and Kurdistan are faced with grave and dangerous circumistances, we are all obliged to act responsibily in order to prevent further violence and clashes between Iraqi and Peshmerga forces. Attacks and confrontations between Iraqi and Peshmerga forces that started on October 16, 2017, especially today's clashes, have caused […]

Video: Balance of Power shifts in Kirkuk

From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. With the return of Kirkuk to Iraqi control, the balance of power appears to have shifted between the ethnic communities in the Kurdish-majority city, to the delight of its Turkmen residents.

Video: Concern over Alleged Abuse of Kurds in Kirkuk

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. About 100,000 Kurds have fled the Kirkuk region since it was retaken by Iraqi forces from Kurdistan's regional government (KRG). The UN says it is worried by reports of civilians being forcibly displaced […]