Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Kirkuk Gets New Governor; KDP Boycotts Parliament Meetings; Military Service Bill Faces Opposition; PM Nomination Decision Faces Further Delay – On April 16, the Kirkuk provincial council elected Mohammed Saman of the Turkmen Front as the province’s new governor. Saman replaces Rebwar Talabani of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), who resigned earlier that day under a power-sharing arrangement between the PUK and Arab and Turkmen parties. On April 18, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) announced that its representatives in Iraq’s parliament will boycott legislative sessions until further notice, citing “clear legal and constitutional violations” in the April 11 election of Nizar Amedi as president. On April 19, parliament held a first reading of a draft “Flag Service” law to reintroduce mandatory military service for all able-bodied men aged 18–45. Backed by Speaker Haybat al-Halbousi, the proposal has drawn opposition from some Shia leaders, including Nouri al-Maliki, who argued that large-scale conscription would strain the state budget without benefiting the armed forces. On April 20, an anticipated meeting of Coordination Framework (CF) leaders failed to produce a final decision on the bloc’s nominee for prime minister. The bloc is now divided between Basim al-Badri, head of the Justice and Accountability Commission and backed by Nouri al-Maliki, and Ihsan al-Awadi, director of Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani’s office, backed by Sudani and his allies. This follows reports that Maliki and Sudani opted to avoid direct competition by backing allied candidates. A subsequent meeting scheduled for Wednesday was postponed until Friday to “provide more space for dialogue” ahead of the 15-day constitutional deadline following the election of a new president. After it became clear that no candidate could secure unanimous support, CF leaders agreed that whoever wins a two-thirds majority would become the bloc’s nominee, though disagreement persists over how to define that threshold. The deadlock has continued despite reported Iranian mediation efforts by IRGC-Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, who visited Baghdad to promote unity among Iran’s Iraqi allies. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iran Launches New Attacks on Kurdistan; Activist Survives Assassination Attempt – Between April 17–22, two Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraq—the KDP-I and PAK—said Iran launched new rocket and drone attacks on their camps in the Kurdistan Region. The groups said the strikes killed at least three of their members and wounded several others. On April 21, unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on political activist Dhurgham Majid at his workplace in the town of al-Hamza al-Gharbi, south of Hilla. Majid, who had previously survived assassination attempts, was struck in the leg and taken to a hospital for treatment, according to local police. In other developments, on April 18, Iraqi oil officials said an Indian-flagged tanker carrying Iraqi crude was fired upon near the Strait of Hormuz. On April 20, Iraqi authorities reportedly suspended the issuance of e-visas for travelers from 37 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and EU member states, as a precaution amid heightened security risks. The report comes as the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issued a new warning that Iran-backed militias may be planning further attacks targeting U.S. citizens and interests in Iraq. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Another Border Crossing with Syria Reopens; Washington Halts Dollar Shipments to Iraq; Kurdistan Dams Overflow After Heavy Rain – On April 20, Syria and Iraq officially reopened the Yarubiyah–Rabeeah border crossing after more than a decade of closure. Iraqi officials expect the crossing to boost trade, create thousands of jobs in Ninewa province, and provide an alternative route for oil exports. On April 21, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government had blocked a shipment of nearly $500 million in cash bound for Iraq in an effort to increase pressure on Baghdad to curb Iran-backed militias. The funds are drawn from Iraqi oil revenues held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. An economic adviser to the Iraqi prime minister downplayed the move, saying it affects less than 5% of U.S. dollar inflows to the country. Other officials were more alarmed, with one Iraqi diplomat warning that dollar shipments are Iraq’s “only gateway to foreign currency” and that the government could collapse if transfers were halted. On April 23, water officials in the Kurdistan region said the Darbandikhan Dam— with a storage capacity of approximately 3 billion cubic meters—had reached full capacity and begun to overflow. Officials added that a total of 23 dams across the Kurdistan region have now reached capacity following heavy rainfall in recent weeks. more…

For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.

POLITICS: Kirkuk Gets New Governor; KDP Boycotts Parliament Meetings; Military Service Bill Faces Opposition; PM Nomination Decision Faces Further Delay

On April 16, the Kirkuk provincial council elected Mohammed Saman as the new governor of Kirkuk. Saman, who represents the Turkmen Front in the provincial council, replaces former governor Rebwar Talabani of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Talabani had resigned earlier on Thursday under a power-sharing deal between the PUK and Arab and Turkmen parties in the province. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which controls two seats on the 16-member council, boycotted the vote in protest of the deal. Iraqi President Nizar Amedi formally confirmed Saman’s appointment on April 20.

On April 18, the KDP announced that its representatives in Iraq’s parliament will boycott legislative sessions until further notice. In a statement, the party cited “clear legal and constitutional violations” and a disregard for the principles of partnership, balance, and consensus. The move comes days after the KDP recalled its ministers and MPs for consultations in Erbil in protest of parliament’s election of Nizar Mohammed Amedi as president. The party maintains that the vote should not have proceeded without an agreement among the main Kurdish parties on a joint candidate.

On April 19, Iraq’s parliament held a first reading of a draft “Flag Service” law aimed at reintroducing mandatory military service for all able-bodied men aged 18–45. Backed by Speaker Haybat al-Halbousi, the proposal outlines service terms ranging from three months for doctoral graduates to 18 months for those who did not complete high school. If passed, the law would apply nationwide, including the Kurdistan Region. The proposal has drawn opposition from some Shia leaders, including Nouri al-Maliki, who urged  parliament to shelve it, arguing that large-scale conscription would strain the state budget without significantly benefiting the armed forces. A similar proposal introduced in 2021 under former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi failed to gain sufficient support. Since 2003, Sunni politicians have generally backed compulsory service as a way to rebalance the demographic composition of Iraq’s security forces.

On April 20, an anticipated meeting of Coordination Framework (CF) leaders failed to produce a final decision on the bloc’s nominee for prime minister. Sources close to the CF said leaders are now divided between two candidates: Basim al-Badri, head of the Justice and Accountability Commission and backed by Nouri al-Maliki, and Ihsan al-Awadi, director of Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani’s office, backed by Sudani and his allies. This follows reports that Maliki and Sudani opted to avoid direct competition, instead backing allied candidates. A subsequent meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, was postponed until Friday to “provide more space for dialogue” ahead of the 15-day constitutional deadline following the election of a new president. After it became clear no candidate could secure unanimous support, CF leaders agreed that whoever wins a two-thirds majority would become the bloc’s nominee, according to a spokesman for Sudani’s Development and Reconstruction Coalition. However, disagreement persists over how to define that threshold. Maliki argues it should mean two-thirds of CF leaders—no fewer than eight—regardless of how many lawmakers they represent, while Sudani’s camp insists it should be based on the number of lawmakers backing each leader. The distinction is consequential: while CF leaders are reportedly evenly split between Awadi and Badri, the number of lawmakers they represent would favor Awadi by 118 to 46, according to a spokesman for Sudani’s bloc. The deadlock has continued despite reports of Iranian mediation efforts aimed at promoting unity among Iran’s Iraqi allies. IRGC-Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani visited Baghdad on Saturday to discuss government formation and the future of Iran-aligned militias. In remarks on April 20, Qaani said government formation should be decided by Iraqis alone, without interference from anyone “especially those who committed crimes against humanity,” in an apparent reference to President Trump’s opposition to Maliki and candidates who might be close to Iran-backed Iraqi militias.

On April 20, former lawmaker and Sunni politician Mishan al-Jubouri said an Iraqi court had sentenced him in absentia to two years in prison. Jubouri claimed he had not been notified of the case and that the court did not hear his statement regarding the charges, which were filed in 2022 by judge Jasim al-Omairi, former head of the Federal Supreme Court. He further alleged that the defamation case had remained dormant until a recent dispute with Faeq Zaidan, president of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council. Jubouri and his son, Yazin, were both subject to arrest warrants in March on charges of threatening other politicians and illegal enrichment, respectively. 

Sources cited in this section include: INA, Peregraf, ISHM archive, Shafaq, Rudaw, al-Sumaria, Iraq’s parliament, Mawazin, Azzaman, Ultra Iraq. 

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iran Launches New Attacks on Kurdistan; Activist Survives Assassination Attempt

On April 16, security sources in Maysan province said that violent armed clashes erupted between members of two tribes in the Qalat Salih subdistrict of the province. The fighting left one person dead and two wounded, while a house was also set on fire, the sources added, without describing what caused the conflict. 

On April 17, members of KDP-I, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group based in Iraq, said that Iran launched new attacks with rockets and explosive drones on its camp inside Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The attacks killed three KDP-I members and wounded another, the group added. A few days later, another Iranian Kurdish opposition group, PAK, said that one of its camps was struck by four explosive drones on April 22. The attack, which the group blamed on Iran, wounded three PAK fighters and caused significant damage, the group said in a statement. 

On April 18, a senior Iraqi oil official said that a tanker carrying Iraqi crude oil was shot at near the Strait of Hormuz. The Indian-flagged tanker had been loaded with two million barrels of crude before getting stranded in the Gulf following the outbreak of hostilities on February 28. Reports indicate Iranian navy boats fired on the tanker as it was trying to exit the strait, forcing it to turn back.

On April 20, Shafaq reported, citing senior Iraqi officials, that authorities have temporarily suspended the issuance of e-visas for travelers from 37 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and EU member states. The sources described the measure as a precaution amid heightened security risks, adding that it also follows last month’s abduction of American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson. The report comes as the U.S. embassy in Baghdad issued a new warning that Iran-backed Iraqi militias, operating with “political, financial, and operational cover” provided by “elements associated with the Iraqi government” may plan to carry out additional attacks targeting U.S. citizens and interests in Iraq. The embassy reiterated its call for U.S. citizens to leave the country immediately. 

On April 21, Babylon police said unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on political activist Dhurgham Majid at his workplace in the town of al-Hamza al-Gharbi, south of Hilla. Majid, who had previously survived assassination attempts, was struck in the leg and taken to a hospital for treatment, the officials added. Local sources said two assailants entered the shop and fired directly before fleeing, prompting an investigation under judicial supervision with security forces collecting forensic evidence and reviewing surveillance footage. Majid is a well-known activist in Babil province who has organized protests and civic actions focused on corruption, rising prices, public services, and local political decisions. He has previously been targeted in violent incidents, including a 2022 attack during demonstrations in which he was seriously injured. Security officials at the time said the attack involved the guards of a local lawmaker, though no official identification was made. More recently, he was among a group of activists sentenced to prison in connection with protest activity before being released hours later after public backlash and the withdrawal of a legal complaint filed by Member of Parliament Dunia al-Shammari, according to judicial sources. The case reflects the use of legal pressure against protest figures alongside physical threats.

The incident underscores ongoing risks faced by activists in Iraq, where targeted violence, judicial pressure, and a climate of impunity continue to shape the operating environment for civil society actors. Recent developments, including the assassination of activist Yanar Mohammed, underscore the persistence of these trends.

Sources cited in this section include: Shafaq, Rudaw, al-Sa’a, ISHM archive, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, NINA. 

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Another Border Crossing with Syria Reopens; Washington Halts Dollar Shipments to Iraq; Kurdistan Dams Overflow After Heavy Rain

On April 19, Prime Minister Sudani instructed the Integrity Commission and Supreme Audit Board to open an investigation into allegations of corruption and poor performance concerning the operations of the state-owned Iraqi Airways company. The move comes after Iraqi Airways pilots and staff staged protests accusing the company’s director general of corruption and incompetence. 

On April 20, Syria and Iraq officially reopened the Yarubiyah–Rabeeah border crossing after more than a decade of closure during the Syrian civil war and ISIS’s occupation of Iraq’s Ninewa province. The head of Iraq’s Border Ports Commission, Omar al-Waeli, described the move as transformative for the economy—particularly in Ninewa, where it could help create thousands of jobs. Iraqi officials also highlighted the crossing’s significance as an alternative route for oil exports amid ongoing risks and uncertainty surrounding Iraq’s primary outlet through the Strait of Hormuz. In parallel, Iraq has recently begun transporting fuel oil by truck through another border crossing for export via Syria’s Baniyas port on the Mediterranean.

On April 21, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government had blocked a shipment of nearly $500 million in cash bound for Iraq, in an effort to increase pressure on Baghdad to curb the power of Iran-backed militias. The funds, drawn from Iraqi oil revenues held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, were halted by the Treasury Department over concerns about militia activity, according to sources cited by the newspaper. The report added that the Trump administration has also paused security cooperation programs with Iraqi security forces. An economic adviser to the Iraqi prime minister downplayed the move, saying it affects less than 5% of U.S. dollar inflows to the country. Other officials were more alarmed, with one Iraqi diplomat telling The Washington Post that dollar shipments are Iraq’s “only gateway to foreign currency,” warning that the government could collapse if the transfers were halted.

On April 23, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s General Directorate of Dams said the Darbandikhan Dam had reached full capacity and begun to overflow, becoming the second major dam to fill completely this year after the Duhok Dam. Darbandikhan Dam has a storage capacity of approximately 3 billion cubic meters. According to Director Rahman Khani, a total of 23 dams across the Kurdistan Region—large, medium, and small—have now reached full capacity. Khani added that water levels at the Dokan Dam have also risen significantly, though it has not yet reached full capacity.  The surge follows heavy rainfall across the region in recent weeks, which has sharply increased water levels in dams and reservoirs. According to regional meteorological authorities, rainfall exceeded 1,000 mm in 45 areas within the Kurdistan region this season, with several locations recording at least double last year’s totals.

Sources cited in this section include: Baghdad Today, Iraqi PM’s office, Rudaw, ISHM archive, Shafaq, SANA, Iraq Observer, WSJ, Washington Post, INA.

Derived from firsthand accounts and Iraq-based Arabic and Kurdish news sources, the Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor is a free publication of the Enabling Peace in Iraq Center.

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