17 April 2021
Unrest erupts anew in Iraq’s anniversary of protests Tuesday, 03 November 2020 03:58
Protests, however, resumed soon after authorities reopened the square, indicating that a popular movement against corruption and unemployment is still alive and evolving. BAGHDAD –Anti-government protests descended into clashes in several Iraqi cities on Sunday, including the capital Baghdad and the southern port city of Basra. In Baghdad, a few hundred young Iraqis returned to Baghdad’s Tahrir Square for a flash protest, clashing briefly with security forces. Authorities had conducted a major operation to clear a year-long anti-government encampment from…
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Iraq protesters vow to push on as authorities clear Basra sit-in site Tuesday, 03 November 2020 03:51
Activists in Iraq’s south have vowed to continue their reform protests after skirmishes with government security forces, who moved to clear sit-in camps in the port city of Basra on Saturday night. Despite the efforts of security forces to clear away protest encampments, protesters gathered again on Sunday afternoon, denouncing the takeover of the Bahria Square the previous evening, the epicenter of the Basra protests, according to protester Hussain Al Saedi. “We were surprised by the big number of security…
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Gas pipeline blast in Iraq kills 3, injures 51 Tuesday, 03 November 2020 03:39
At least three people were killed and more than 50 injured in a gas pipeline explosion in southern Iraq, police sources said on Saturday. The military said in a statement that the cause of the blast was not known. It said nine Shia militia fighters were among the wounded and two children had been killed. Police sources said the blast, near the southern city of Samawa, 270 km (170 miles) south of Baghdad, occurred along a stretch of pipeline that…
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Gas pipeline blast in southern Iraq kills 3, injures 51, police say Sunday, 01 November 2020 13:09
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - At least three people were killed and more than 50 injured in a gas pipeline explosion in southern Iraq, police sources said on Saturday. The military said in a statement that the cause of the blast was not known. It said nine Shi’ite militia fighters were among the wounded and two children had been killed. Police sources said the blast, near the southern city of Samawa, 270 km (170 miles) south of Baghdad, occurred along a…
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Kadhimi is dancing with snakes without a flute Wednesday, 28 October 2020 21:26
At the end of his European tour, during which he visited France, Germany and Britain — he is a British citizen, remember — Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said, “I dance on a daily basis with the snakes but I am looking for a flute to control them.” According to the Guardian, he warned that he is being forced into “an impossible balancing act between the US and Iran,” referring to the heavy burden he has inherited since becoming prime minister…
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Tear gas fired as thousands mark one year of Iraq protests Tuesday, 27 October 2020 03:58
BAGHDAD — Thousands of people took to Iraq’s streets on Sunday to mark one year since mass anti-government demonstrations swept the country, with police firing tear gas in central Baghdad to stop protesters from crossing strategic bridges and both sides reporting injuries. Protesters marched in the capital and several southern cities — including Najaf, Nasiriyah and Basra — to renew demands for an end to corruption by Iraq’s political establishment. When dozens of protesters attempted to scale cement barriers on…
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Thousands rally in Iraq to mark one year of anti-corruption protests Monday, 26 October 2020 03:06
Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Sunday to mark one year since mass anti-government demonstrations swept Baghdad and Iraq’s south, sparking calls to end to rampant corruption. Protesters marched in the capital and several southern cities including Najaf, Nasiriyah and Basra to renew demands proclaimed a year ago to bring an end to corruption by politicians. Mustafa Hussein, in his 20s, participated in the demonstrations last year and returned to Baghdad’s Tahrir Square on Sunday. He said little had changed. “Our demands…
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US Sanctions Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Sunday, 25 October 2020 16:06
Iran's ambassador to Iraq since 2017, Masjedi has publicly admitted the IRGC-QF's role in special operations and the training of militia groups in Iraq, Syria, and beyond. He claims credit for organizing and supporting regional militias to advance Iran's interests throughout the Middle East an enterprise that has spawned untold destruction and corruption, robbing Iraq of a stable, prosperous future. Masjedi has facilitated financial transfers for the benefit of the IRGC-QF in coordination with IRGC-QF financial facilitator Hushang Allahdad, acting at…
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Arrest warrant issued for MEE journalist Suadad al-Salhy in Iraq Saturday, 24 October 2020 21:34
An arrest warrant for Middle East Eye journalist Suadad al-Salhy has been issued in Iraq over the charge of “defamation”. A judge at Tahqiq al-Karada Court issued the warrant on Thursday, requesting Salhy be taken to al-Alawiya police station. No other details are provided and MEE is seeking more information from the court. According to the Iraqi penal code, Salhy could face up to one year in jail and a fine of 100 Iraqi dinars (US$0.08) if convicted of criminal defamation. “The…
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Iraqis prepare anniversary rally of anti-government protests Saturday, 24 October 2020 21:24
Protesters in Iraq announced Friday they were readying preparations for fresh rallies on Sunday, the latest demonstrations marking the one-year anniversary of unprecedented anti-government demonstrations. Security has been increased in key areas including Baghdad's Tahrir Square -- the epicentre of the massive demonstrations last year -- and where new concrete barriers have erected. Some activists say they have been camping out since then in tents around the square, where posters have been erected mourning some of the estimated 600 protesters…
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Iraqi human rights commission reports 309 suicide cases in 2020, calls for 'urgent' measures Thursday, 22 October 2020 04:48
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR) reported on Monday that it has so far recorded 309 suicide cases across the country in 2020. The body also mentioned that it had recorded 594 suicide cases in 2019. A member of the commission, Fadhel Al-Gharawi, said in a statement that “the commission detected an increase in suicide cases and attempts in all provinces of Iraq in 2019.” A noted exception, according to the official, was the Kurdistan Region. “What…
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