Key Takeaways:
- Eighteen Diplomatic Missions Condemn Violence Against Activists; Protesters Demand Justice, Attack Party Offices In Dhi-Qar And Basra; New Protests, Clashes In The Kurdistan Region – On August 21, eighteen foreign diplomatic missions to Iraq issued a joint statement condemning the “assassinations and intimidation” targeting Iraqi activists after a deadly week during which gunmen murdered and wounded several people in Basra. The statement urged Iraqi leaders to protect activists and take the necessary actions to punish the perpetrators. On August 21, protesters in Basra burned the local office of the Iraqi Parliament and demanded the resignation of the governor after a series of assassinations that targeted local activists last week. In Nasiriyah, angry protesters burned the offices of several political parties and demolished some of them with bulldozers after a bombing attack injured at least two protesters. Basra’s governor and representatives of the Fatah and State of Law coalitions accused protesters of executing foreign-designed conspiracies. On August 23, PM Kadhimi traveled to Basra and met with the family of an Iraqi activist who was assassinated by last week. He pledged to capture and punish the killers, calling the latest assassinations a dangerous security breach, and urging security chiefs to do their best to expose the assassins and restore the locals’ trust in security forces. On August 23, Rudaw reported that several towns in the Kurdistan region, including Halabja and Kalar, witnessed angry protests overnight, some of which reportedly involved violence. Protesters are demanding the government pay their months-delayed salaries, held up by budget disputes with Baghdad and low oil prices, without deductions. The region’s PM condemned the alleged destruction of public property by protesters, calling these acts “criminal.” more…
- Parliament May Vote On Election Law Next Week; Iraq, Egypt and Jordan Hold Summit Meetings; Kadhimi Meets French And Saudi Ministers; Plasschaert Blames Dysfunction On “Zero-Sum Politics” – On August 24, a member of Parliament said lawmakers will start the next legislative season on September 3 and will attempt to pass the Supreme Federal Court Law and the Election Law annexes concerning the number and borders of electoral districts. But other representative said the political blocs were not in agreement on the distribution of electoral districts, citing four proposals presented by the political blocs, in addition to a fifth proposal submitted by the UN mission for Iraq (UNAMI). On August 25, PM Kadhimi met King Abdullah of Jordan and President Sisi of Egypt as part of a trilateral summit in the Jordanian capital. At the summit, Kadhimi underlined Iraq’s desire for balanced relations with its neighbors and for “economic cooperation and integration” between the three Arab states. Kadhimi stressed that Iraq is committed to building on the discussions the three countries initiated in March of 2019, and expressed hope for a “new Levant” of “peace, integration and openness.” On August 26, Falih al-Fayyadh, the chairman of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Commission visited Damascus and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as an envoy of PM Kadhimi to discuss cooperation in counter-terrorism and improving security along the Iraqi-Syrian border. On August 26, UNAMI chief, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert briefed the UN Security Council on the tough challenges Iraq faces, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic: 11 million students losing access to regular schooling, an economy shrinking by 10%, rising poverty, three million Iraqis without enough food, and a spike in violence targeting activists. Plasschaert stressed that “an environment that promotes inclusive growth and employment remains the best remedy against unrest, conflict and external interference.” On August 27, the French Defense Minister met PM Kadhimi in Baghdad and expressed France’s readiness to resume the mission of training Iraqi Security Forces as soon as possible. Kadhimi also met with the Saudi Foreign Minister who said the kingdom looks forward to a visit by Kadhimi to Riyadh soon. more…
- New Attacks Target Iraqi Activists; Bombings, Direct ISIS Attacks Escalate; Turkish Airstrikes Near Sinjar Kill Civilians – On August 20, unknown gunmen with silenced weapons attempted to assassinate three Iraqi activists in Babylon province. The following day, an IED exploded wounding two protesters in Nasiriyah. Between August 21 – 23, three IEDs targeted contractors transporting supplies for the International Coalition, killing one civilian near Baghdad. Between August 20 – 26, eight IEDs in Salah ad-Din, Ninewa, Kirkuk and Diyala killed eight people and injured 25 more, including Iraqi civilians, members of Iraq’s security forces (ISF) and two UN employees. Between August 23 – 25, ISIS militants launched at least six attacks civilians and ISF positions in Anbar, Diyala and Kirkuk, killing six ISF members and wounding nine, and kidnapping, killing or wounding at least seven civilians. On August 23, the International Coalition against ISIS transferred control of “Site 8” at Camp Taji to the ISF and gave the ISF equipment and facilities worth more than $345 million. On August 26, Turkish drone strikes hit a vehicle and other targets near Sinjar, west of Mosul. The airstrikes killed at least two civilians. more…
- Access Restrictions Impact Assistance For 230,000 Iraqis In Need; COVID-19 Cases Approach 220,000 – On August 23, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that aid organizations reported more than 70 incidents of access restrictions that impacted 22 different districts in July. Almost all of the incidents were the result of “administrative restrictions” on the work and movement of aid organizations. These restrictions negatively impacted the delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to more than 230,000 people, nearly all of whom concentrated in Ninewa and Kirkuk. On August 27, the Ministry of Health reported that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 219,435. Deaths from confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 6,740 while a total of 161,000 patients have recovered. To date, Iraq has tested 1,524,864 samples for COVID-19. more…
- Iraq Eyes Reduced Energy Imports From Iran Next Year; Court Blocks Renewal Of Mobile Network Operators’ Licences – On August 22, Iraq’s Finance Minister said that Iraq could significantly reduce its dependence on gas and electricity imported from Iran by as early as next year. Iraq’s Oil Minister shared his colleague’s optimism about Iraq’s gas outlook, predicting that Iraq will stop importing gas altogether by the year 2025. On August 25, a member of Iraq’s Parliament said an Iraqi court issued an order to suspend the license renewal for the country’s major mobile network operators after an influential member of Parliament filed a lawsuit to suspend the license renewals for AsiaCell, Korek and Zain, alleging the contracts involved legal violations and harmed public interest. 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.
Eighteen Diplomatic Missions Condemn Violence Against Activists; Protesters Demand Justice, Attack Party Offices In Dhi-Qar And Basra; New Protests, Clashes In The Kurdistan Region
On August 21, eighteen foreign diplomatic missions to Iraq issued a joint statement condemning the “assassinations and intimidation” targeting Iraqi activists after a deadly week during which gunmen murdered and wounded several activists in Basra. The statement was signed by the embassies of Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, the UK and the EU. It called on Iraqi leaders to protect activists and take the necessary actions to punish the perpetrators “to the maximum extent permitted by the law.” The head of the UN mission for Iraq (UNAMI) also condemned the attacks on activists, saying in a statement that “Basrawis should not live in such an atmosphere of terror and intimidation. Greater action by the authorities is urgently required.” The UN official added that “the full force of the law must be applied to find, apprehend and hold the perpetrators accountable, and to put an end to this cycle of violence.” Human Rights Watch also denounced the escalation in violence against peaceful activists, warning that “the situation in Iraq has devolved to the point that gunmen can roam the streets and shoot members of civil society with impunity.”
On August 21, protesters in Basra burned the local office of the Iraqi Parliament in the city and demanded the resignation of the governor, Asad al-Idani after a series of assassinations that targeted local activists last week. Meanwhile in Nasiriyah, the provincial capital of Dhi-Qar province, angry protesters burned the offices of several political parties and demolished some of them with bulldozers after a bombing attack at Nasiriyah main protest site that injured at least two protesters. On August 22, Governor Idani responded to the events by saying that he supports peaceful protests and continues to work with security forces to reveal the assassins who are targeting activists. Idani, however, suggested that unnamed political groups were agitating the youths in Basra to “burn the city and render it unsafe for political purposes.” The insinuation was echoed by representatives of the Fatah and State of Law coalitions. State of Law representative Saad al-Mutalibi said there was a “project backed by internal and external actors to ignite Shia-Shia infighting in central and southern Iraq.” Fatah representative Hassan al-Salim was more specific, accusing the United States and Arab Gulf states of instigating and financing protests in Basra, working in tandem with domestic parties “whose goal is to seize the governorship of Basra.”
On August 23, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi traveled to Basra and met with the family of Reham Yacoub, an Iraqi activist who was assassinated by unknown gunmen last week. Kadhimi told the family that he will make sure “the criminals shall not escape punishment.” Kadhimi also held a meeting with top security officials while in Basra. He was accompanied by the ministers of Interior and Defense, the National Security Adviser, the chiefs of the Counter-Terrorism, National Security and Intelligence services, the Army’s Chief of Staff, and other senior officers. The premier said there were “outlaw groups trying to terrorize the people of Basra.” He emphasized that the latest assassinations in Basra represented a dangerous security breach, urging security chiefs to do their best to expose the assassins and restore the locals’ trust in security forces.
On August 23, Rudaw reported that several towns in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI) witnessed angry protests overnight, some of which reportedly involved violence. Protesters are demanding the government pay their months-delayed salaries, held up by budget disputes with Baghdad and low oil prices, without deductions. In the town of Halabja protesters burned two government buildings and pelted other buildings, including the town’s court, municipality and the local offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with stones. In the Kalar district of Sulaymaniyah province, police officials claim 14 officers were injured by stones thrown by protesters, who also allegedly vandalized a hospital. Authorities have arrested dozens of protesters and members of the press covering the events, according to human rights activists. The region’s prime minister, Masrour Barzani, condemned the destruction of public property by protesters, calling these acts “criminal,” and pledging to hold the protesters who damaged public or private buildings accountable before the law.
Parliament May Vote On Election Law Next Week; Iraq, Egypt and Jordan Hold Summit Meetings; Kadhimi Meets French And Saudi Ministers; Plasschaert Blames Dysfunction On “Zero-Sum Politics”
On August 21, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced that Iraq and the U.S. have agreed to redeploy U.S. forces currently stationed in Iraq outside the country. Kadhimi, who met with President Trump in Washington on August 20, described his talks in Washington as “important and successful,” adding that the two sides agreed to establish a technical team to discuss the details of the U.S. forces withdrawal from Iraq. A joint statement issued on August 21 emphasized that the two countries will continue to work together to ensure a lasting defeat of ISIS and that they were “committed to long-term bilateral security coordination to build the capabilities of the Iraqi Army and face mutual threats” to U.S. and Iraqi interests.
On August 24, a member of Parliament from the Saeroun Alliance said Parliament will start its next legislative season on September 3 and will attempt during the first session to pass the Supreme Federal Court Law and the Election Law annexes concerning the number and borders of electoral districts. Representative Badr al-Zayadi added that the Political Parties Law could also be on the agenda alongside the other two bills. A spokesman for Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi earlier told reporters that the Election Law was ready for a vote after the legislature’s legal committee finished its deliberations. However, statements by other members of Parliament suggest the debate is still ongoing. Representative Amir al-Fayez told al-Mada that the political blocs were not in agreement on a mechanism for distributing electoral districts. According to the al-Mada report, there were four proposals presented by the political blocs under discussion, in addition to a fifth proposal submitted by the UN mission for Iraq (UNAMI). One of the proposals divides provinces in three districts each, and another divides them into five districts each. A third proposal makes each administrative district an electoral district, while the fourth gives each 100,000 citizens their own district even if that requires splitting large administrative districts or merging smaller ones. According to another member of Parliament, Yonadim Kenna, the UN proposal involves 80 non-geographic electoral districts split among Iraq’s provinces in a manner proportionate with their population. State of Law representative Gati al-Rikabi spoke of what would be a sixth proposal, claiming on August 24 that 100 members of Parliament were in favor of elections based on a single electoral district for the whole country. Rikabi argued that proposals involving multiple electoral districts were weak and problematic because of recent changes in administrative districts and because many districts in Ninewa, Kirkuk and Diyala remain disputed.
On August 25, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met with King Abdullah of Jordan and President Sisi of Egypt as part of a trilateral summit between their countries in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The summit’s agenda included economic cooperation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional politics, including the Palestinian issue. In his speech at the summit, Kadhimi underlined Iraq’s desire for establishing balanced relations with all its neighbors and for “economic cooperation and integration” between the three Arab states. Specifically, Kadhimi mentioned cooperation in energy and electricity, infrastructure and reconstruction, transportation, and health care. Kadhimi stressed that Iraq is committed to building on the discussions the three countries initiated in March of 2019, and expressed hope for a “new Levant” of “peace, integration and openness.” The summit concluded on the same day. The official joint statement said the three leaders were “comfortable” with the level of political and strategic coordination between their countries, and discussed expanding the cooperation through the framework of the “trilateral mechanism” which will have an executive secretariat to be hosted alternately at the three capitals for one year sessions.
On August 26, there were reports that Falih al-Fayyadh, the chairman of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Commission visited Damascus and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as an envoy of Prime Minister Kadhimi. Fayyadh and Assad, according to Syrian news agencies, discussed cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts and improving security along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
On August 26, the chief of the UN mission for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert briefed the UN Security Council on conditions in Iraq. The UN official illustrated the tough challenges Iraq faces, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic: 11 million students losing access to regular schooling, an economy shrinking by almost 10%, rising poverty, three million Iraqis not getting enough food, and a spike in violence targeting activists and meant to silence voices calling for reforms. Hennis-Plasschaert said the government of Prime Minister Kadhimi was “undoubtedly operating in the eye of multiple storms at once,” stressing that “an environment that promotes inclusive growth and employment remains the best remedy against unrest, conflict and external interference.” Addressing the obstinacy that characterizes Iraq’s politics, she pointed out that “Oblivious partisanship and short-sighted zero-sum politics continue to be major obstacles for progress, but to be clear, no party, person or entity must be allowed to hijack the legitimate demands of the Iraqi people.” The UNAMI chief also talked about the critical preparations Iraq must deal with ahead of the next election in June 2021, emphasizing that Parliament must decide on the number and borders of constituencies and that the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) needs to be strong and independent of political influences, pointing out that “an electoral ‘reset’ could open a new and important chapter for Iraq – but for this to happen, the elections must be credible. This is the responsibility not only of the IHEC and the Government, but also of all Iraqi political actors and electoral stakeholders.”
On August 27, the French Defense Minister visited Baghdad and met with Prime Minister Kadhimi. The French minister expressed France’s readiness to resume the mission of training Iraqi Security Forces, which has been halted due to the global pandemic, as soon as possible within a new arrangement and framework to shape future contributions by the International Coalition against ISIS. Kadhimi also met on the same day with the Saudi Foreign Minister. The two sides discussed economic cooperation and joint action to balance the global oil market. The Saudi minister said the kingdom looks forward to a visit by Kadhimi to Riyadh soon, and to implementing the agreements signed between the two countries.
New Attacks Target Iraqi Activists; Bombings, Direct ISIS Attacks Escalate; Turkish Airstrikes Near Sinjar Kill Civilians
On August 20, unknown gunmen with silenced weapons attempted to assassinate three Iraqi activists while driving on the road between Hilla and al-Qasim subdistrict in Babylon province. The three activists survived without injuries. The following day, an improvised explosive device (IED) that was placed on a motorcycle exploded near protesters tents in Haboubi Square in Nasiriyah, Dhi-Qar province. The explosion wounded two protesters and destroyed their tents.
On August 20, an IED exploded against two civilian vehicles in the Sheik Ibrahim area in the Dijail district of Salah ad-Din province. The explosion killed two policemen and four civilians. ISIS militants subsequently opened fire from small arms on a police force that arrived in response to the bombing, injuring five more civilians and two policemen.
On August 21, an IED exploded targeting trucks belonging to civilian contractors transporting supplies for the forces of the U.S.-led International Coalition against ISIS. The explosion, which occurred on the main highway in the Iwereij area south of Baghdad, destroyed a civilian vehicle and killed its driver. Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) found a SPG-9 recoilless rifle and two projectiles in the nearby Rasheed subdistrict. The ISF believes the weapons were meant to be used against Coalition convoys. The next day, a similar explosion targeted another Coalition supply convoy in the Ghazaliyah district in western Baghdad without causing casualties. A third explosion on August 23 targeted another Coalition supply convoy in Taji north of Baghdad district in western Baghdad, damaging a vehicle without leaving casualites.
On August 21, an IED explosion killed two members of Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) and injured a third while they were conducting search operations in the makhoul mountains in Salah ad-Din province.
On August 21, an IED exploded against an Iraqi Army patrol in the Lihayb village in the Muqdadiyah district of Diyala province. The explosion wounded four members of the patrol.
On August 22, suspected ISIS militants fired two mortar rounds that struck in the center of Khanaqin in northeastern Diyala province. The attack did not leave casualties.
On August 23, an IED explosion targeted a gathering of Shia Muslims participating in the Ashura processions in the Qadisiyah neighborhood of Kirkuk City. The explosion wounded four civilians.
On August 23, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said that an August 22 airstrike based on intelligence supplied by the ISF killed and wounded several ISIS militants in the Tarmiyah area north of Baghdad. The statement explained that the militants in question were involved in an attack that killed the commander of an Iraqi Army brigade in July. The ISF searched the area after the airstrike, and confiscated explosives, communications devices and other military supplies.
On August 23, ISIS militants clashed with a unit from brigade 18 of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) between Akashat and al-Qaim in western Anbar province. The attack, in which ISIS militants reportedly used heavy machine guns and rocket propelled grenades, wounded three PMF fighters.
On August 23, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command announced that the International Coalition against ISIS transferred control of “Site 8” at Camp Taji to the ISF. Major General Tahseen al-Khafaji said the site was used by forces from Australia, New Zealand and the United States to train and outfit Iraqi forces and will now be utilized by the ISF. Khafaji added that the Coalition has completed its training mission and made a commitment to transfer control of all sites it once occupied back to Iraq. The Coalition, according to Khafaji, will continue to support the ISF’s mission against ISIS through intelligence and airstrikes, explaining that the forces leaving Taji will be pulled out of Iraq and won’t redeploy to another location in the country. As part of the transfer, the Coalition also gave the ISF equipment and facilities worth more than $345 million. A Coalition statement described the withdrawal from Taji as “part of a long-range plan coordinated with the government of Iraq.”
On August 24, local officials said ISIS militants attacked an Iraqi Army checkpoint in the Khulafa village southwest of the Udheim subdistrict in Diyala province. The Army unit repelled the attack, which wounded one Iraqi soldier.
On August 24, security sources in Ninewa province said that an IED exploded targeting a police patrol in the Athba village near the Shora subdistrict. The explosion wounded two Iraqi policemen.
On August 24, Iraqi military sources said ISIS militants attacked Iraqi Army (5th Division) positions near Daquq on the main road south of Kirkuk City. The attack killed four Iraqi soldiers and wounded four others.
On August 24, suspected ISIS militants broke into the home of a family in the Safsaf village near Qara Tappa in northeastern Diyala province. The militants kidnapped three of the family members and injured a fourth with small arms fire. Two days later, ISIS militants killed one civilian and kidnapped two in an attack on Dagat Mikaiel village near Khanaqin, also in Diyala. Police found the dead bodies of the two abducted civilians the following day.
On August 25, the UN counter-terrorism chief warned that more than 10,000 ISIS militants were operating Iraq and Syria despite the defeat of the territorial ISIS Caliphate. The official, Vladimir Voronkov, said these militants were relying on small cells to move freely across the borders between Iraq and Syria. Voronkov added that the terrorist group has regrouped and increased its activity in these two countries as well as through its other regional branches. The UN official pointed that “measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, such as lockdowns and restrictions on movement, seem to have reduced the risk of terrorist attacks in many countries.” But he warned of “a continued trend of attacks by individuals inspired online and acting alone or in small groups, which could be fueled by ISIL’s opportunistic propaganda efforts during the COVID-19 crisis.”
On August 25, ISIS militants attacked Iraqi Army (Brigade 74) positions near the Sakhr village near Muqdadiyah in northeastern Diyala province. The attack killed two Iraqi soldiers and wounded a third.
On August 26, an IED explosion injured two civilians in the Haj Ali village near Qayyara in Ninewa province.
On August 26, an IED exploded against a civilian vehicle in Albu Bakr village near the Udheim subdistrict in Diyala province. The explosion wounded three from the same family civilians.
On August 26, an IED exploded against a vehicle belonging to the UN World Food Program near the village of Shakholi on the main road between Erbil and Mosul in Ninewa province. The explosion injured two UN employees and damaged the vehicle.
On August 26, Iraqi military sources said that a Turkish drone strike hit a vehicle in the Khansour area in Sinjar, west of Mosul. The airstrike killed two civilians. Another Turkish airstrike was reported in the nearby village of Para but it was unclear how many casualties it caused. The area is known to host forces from the Sinjar Protection Units, which Turkey considers an affiliate of the terrorist-designated Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Access Restrictions Impact Assistance For 230,000 Iraqis In Need; COVID-19 Cases Approach 220,000
On August 23, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) provided an update on humanitarian access restrictions experienced by aid organizations in Iraq in July. Aid organizations said there were more than 70 incidents of access restrictions that impacted 22 different districts. About four in ten incidents occurred in Ninewa province, and almost all of the incidents were the result of “administrative restrictions” on the work and movement of aid organizations. These restrictions negatively impacted the delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to more than 230,000 people, nearly all of whom concentrated in Ninewa and Kirkuk. OCHA noted that “the government’s suspension of the national-level access authorization letters for non-government organisations (NGOs), remains the most critical access difficulty facing humanitarian operations throughout the country.”
On August 27, the Iraqi Ministry of Health reported that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 219,435, representing a weekly increase of 26,638 cases from the 192,797 reported a week earlier. Of these cases, 51,686 are in the hospital, including 566 in the intensive care unit (ICU). According to the ministry’s data, there were 532 new COVID-related deaths during the same period, bringing total fatalities from 6,208 to 6,740. Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries has increased from 137,200 to 161,009. While the growth of cases appeared to plateau in much of central and southern Iraq, this week the Kurdistan region reported a relative spike in new cases. The areas reporting the most new cases during the last 24 hours were Baghdad with 783 cases, followed by Basra with 343 cases, Najaf, which reported 304 cases, and Erbil, with 296 cases. To date, Iraq has tested a total of 1,524,864 samples for COVID-19.
Iraq Eyes Reduced Energy Imports From Iran Next Year; Court Blocks Renewal Of Mobile Network Operators’ Licences
On August 22, Iraq’s Finance Minister Ali Allawi said that Iraq could significantly reduce its dependence on gas and electricity imported from Iran by as early as next year. Allawi, speaking at an event during his visit to Washington, said he assumes that “the dependence on Iranian gas and electricity imports will begin to trail down significantly sometime next year, but between now and then we have little options except to continue to draw on this source.” He further explained that “a medium-term effort can be done by linking the Iraqi grid to the Gulf grid. These are again projects that are on the verge of being defined and designed and put out to tender.” Allawi made his remarks as Iraq last week Iraq signed deals worth a total $8 billion with five major American firms in a bid to strengthen Iraq’s energy sector and reduce Baghdad’s reliance on energy imports from Iran. The deals include an agreement with Honeywell to develop gas resources at the Ratawi field (in which Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest), an agreement with Baker Hughes to capture gas that Iraq typically flares and redirect it to fuel power generation, and two agreements with General Electric to maintain and upgrade several power plants and carry out grid improvements and stabilization work, including linking Iraq’s grid with neighboring Jordan’s. Iraq’s Oil Minister, Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar shared Allawi’s optimism about Iraq’s gas outlook, predicting on August 25 that Iraq will stop importing gas altogether by the year 2025. Jabbar argued that more than three quarters of all gas projects Iraq needs to become self-sufficient in gas were already “under implementation.”
On August 25, a member of Iraq’s Parliament said an Iraqi court issued an order to suspend the license renewal for the country’s major mobile network operators. The representative, Alaa al-Rubaie called the verdict a “triumph for continuous efforts to prevent the financial waste these contracts were going to cause.” Earlier this month, Mohammed al-Sudai, an influential member of Parliament said he filed a lawsuit to suspend the license renewals for AsiaCell, Korek and Zain because the contracts involve “legal and constitutional violations, and are damaging to public interest because they deny the public treasury large sums owed by the companies.” In July, the Iraqi government moved to renew the license for five years, in exchange for the companies introducing 4G service and paying half the amounts they owe the state. The deal was met with strong objections from the parliamentary services committee, which suggested that Iraq should create a state-owned mobile network operator.
IED Incidents and Resulting Casualties
| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08/20/20 | Dijail, Salah ad-Din | 6 | 0 |
| 08/21/20 | Nasiriyah, Dhi-Qar | 0 | 2 |
| 08/21/20 | Iwereij, south of Baghdad | 1 | 0 |
| 08/21/20 | Muqdadiyah, Diyala | 0 | 4 |
| 08/21/20 | Makhoul mountains, Salah ad-Din | 2 | 1 |
| 08/22/20 | Ghazaliyah, western Baghdad | 0 | 0 |
| 08/23/20 | Kirkuk City | 0 | 4 |
| 08/23/20 | Taji, north of Baghdad | 0 | 0 |
| 08/24/20 | Shora, south of Mosul | 0 | 2 |
| 08/26/20 | Qayyara, south of Mosul | 0 | 2 |
| 08/26/20 | Udheim, Diyala | 0 | 3 |
| 08/26/20 | Bartella, Ninewa | 0 | 2 |
Please note: some geographic locations represented are approximations and this map may not represent all incidents.
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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