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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Members of the Iraqi parliament from the Salah Al-Din governorate on Sunday demanded the removal of all forces associated with political parties and armed groups from the province. This comes hours after the Iraqi Center for Documentation of War Crimes accused fighters affiliated with the Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq faction of killing 12 civilians in the Balad district of the Salah Al-Din governorate. The governorate’s deputies announced in a joint statement: “It has become imperative to remove all armed parties associated with political…

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Saturday, hundreds of supporters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—an umbrella organization of largely Iran-aligned Shia militias—burned the office of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan flag in Baghdad. The attack drew swift condemnations by top officials in the Kurdistan Region. Marchers carrying banners of the PMF, also known as the Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic, crossed a security checkpoint and attacked the KDP office in the Iraqi capital’s Karada neighborhood. They set fire…

The leader of the Sadrist movement in Iraq threatened, Muqtada al-SadrFormer Deputy Prime Minister and well-known Iraqi politician, Bahaa Al-Araji, after he spoke about the possibility of Iraq normalizing its relations with Israel, and that a decision of this kind might be issued from Najaf, the seat of the Shiite reference. Al-Araji said in a television interview, yesterday, Wednesday, that “Iraq is very prepared to normalize relations with Israel, and the conditions are well-suited.” He added that “it is possible that…