Key Takeaways:
Iraqi Security Forces and Allies Continue the Difficult Approach Toward Mosul – Iraqi Security Forces and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga, assisted by U.S.-led international coalition airstrikes, continued efforts to clear areas surrounding the city of Mosul of ISIS militants. Peshmerga fighters and the elite Iraqi Counterterrorism Service are holding… Read more
Dysfunction among policymakers in Baghdad points to a deeper rot in Iraq’s political system, undermining prospects for long-term stability in the country. … Read more
Key Takeaways:
Military Operations to Clear Mosul of ISIS Begin – Early in the morning on October 17, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of military operations to clear the city of Mosul of ISIS militants. Since then, the Iraqi Army, Shia militias, and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga have demonstrated… Read more
On this edition of Iraq Matters, we are pleased to welcome Daryl Grisgraber of Refugees International who recently returned from Iraq. While there, she visited displacement camps in both central and northern Iraq, and met with displaced families, aid agencies, and UN officials to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
Iraq is once again in the headlines as military efforts to expel ISIS from the city of Mosul are well underway. At EPIC, we are responding by continuing to monitor the security situation and humanitarian crisis, informing Congress, our aid community colleagues, and the administration of emerging needs, and stepping… Read more
Government policymakers and humanitarian agencies have not adequately prepared for a scenario in which a significant portion of Mosul’s remaining 1.2 million residents stay in the city as it is liberated.… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Turkish Troop Presence in Northern Iraq Continues to Cause Tension – On October 11, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a press conference that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi needs to “know his place” in regional affairs, asserting that Turkey will not be excluded from impending operations… Read more
In northern Iraq, Turkey and Iran are playing their proxies against each other. This rivalry will shape the region’s post-ISIS landscape, and could spark future conflict. To learn more, we spoke with Joost Hiltermann, program director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group and… Read more
