Key Takeaways:
- KRG Says Top Court Must Be Reformed; Parliament Removes Oil Minister From INOC; Top Court Rules Against Accepting New Presidential Candidates, Revokes Cabinet Order To Form Anti-Corruption Committee – On February 28, the heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial authorities in the Kurdistan region denounced the February 15 ruling by Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court (SFC) that declared the regions Oil and Gas Law to be unconstitutional. The statement said the ruling had “ulterior [political] motives,” adding that the Court must be reformed based on a new law. On February 28, Parliament voted to terminate the appointment of the Oil Minister as director of the National Oil Company. On March 1, the SFC ruled that the February 8 decision by Parliament’s leadership to accept new presidential candidates was not supported by law, adding that Parliament as a whole can vote to accept new candidacy statements. On March 2, Iraq’s SFC ruled to revoke the Council of Ministers order number 29 of 2020, which established a permanent committee charged with investigating corruption and other major crimes. A lawyer with knowledge of the Court decision said the lawsuits against the committee were filed by the suspect in the assassination of security analyst Husham al-Hashimi and high-profile convicts in corruption cases, including former Ninew governor Nawfal al-Akoub. In other developments, on February 28, Parliament voted to establish 25 permanent committees to be in charge of various legislative areas. on February 28, President Barham Salih decided to withdraw a presidential pardon concerning a convicted drug dealer, who is also the son of a resigned Najaf governor, after the pardon caused public outrage. more…
- Military Intelligence Chief Sacked After Attempt To Free Suspect In Plot To Assassinate Kadhimi – On February 25, PM Kadhimi relieved the chief of military intelligence, major general Faez al-Mamouri, from duty and replaced him with his deputy, major general Zaid Hoshi. Kadhimi ordered the command change after a unit from the military intelligence attempted to help one of the suspects in the November 7 attack on Kadhimi’s residence escape from a court complex in Baghdad’s Karkh district. In other developments, between February 24 – March 3, the explosions of six IEDs and one remnant of war in Dhi-Qar, Diwaniyah, Ninewa, Kirkuk, Baghdad, Muthanna, and Diyala killed at least one Iraqi and wounded six. Between February 25 – March 3, three other militant attacks and two incidents of tribal violence in Baghdad, Maysan, Salah ad-Din, Kirkuk, and Anbar killed at least two Iraqis and wounded one. On March 1, Iraqi F-16 jets killed three ISIS militants during airstrikes against ISIS cells in Anbar province. more…
- Commander Says Sinjar Is Safe For IDPs To Return; KRG To Reform Social Protection System – On February 28, the deputy chief of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command declared that security conditions in the Sinjar district were suitable for the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), saying that the situation was “stable, with clear control by security forces of the perimeter.” On March 1, the KRG and three UN organizations (UNICEF, ILO, and WFP) announced a new EU-funded initiative that aims to make the region’s social protection system more effective in responding to socio-economic shocks. The new joint program focuses on “adapting, expanding, and innovating social protection responses” to help families in need, with a focus on “women, children, their families, workers in the informal sector” and communities affected by COVID-19. In other developments, on February 28, Iraq’s Planning Ministry claimed that Iraq completed construction on 2,160 buildings at schools across the country during 2021. These buildings included 482 kindergartens, 1,189 primary and middle schools, 489 high schools, and other administrative buildings. On March 3, Iraq’s Health Ministry said the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 2,306,092, an increase of 7,928 in cases from the 2,298,164 reported on February 24. Hospitalizations decreased from 39,667 to 30,160, and the daily average for new cases during the last 7-day period dropped to 1,133/day from 1,673/day during the 7-day period ending February 24. Total vaccinations reached 9,955,720 including 40,634 who received their shots on March 3. more…
- Disruptions Hit Southern Oil Fields; Strike Halts Movement At Border Crossing With Saudi Arabia; February Oil Revenue At $8.5 Billion – On February 25, Iraqi oil officials said that production at the West Qurna-2 oil field would halt for 21 days to perform works that would allow production to increase by 50,000 bpd. On February 25, the Dhi-Qar Oil Company said it was forced to halt 80,000 bpd in oil production due to tribal protests and roadblocks that have prevented oil crews from reaching a key gas separation plant in the province. On February 28, officials at the Arar border crossing with Saudi Arabia said that movement through the crossing had ceased amid a strike by cargo handlers protesting the collection of illegal fees by officers. On March 1, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that crude oil exports during February averaged 3.314 million bpd and generated $8.54 billion in revenue, about $270 million higher than January. In other developments, on March 3, Iraq’s Transportation Minister said that Iraq was serious about connecting the Kurdistan region with the rest of the country with railroads, adding that weekly flights between the Sulaymaniyah and Erbil airports may commence soon. 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.
KRG Says Top Court Must Be Reformed; Parliament Removes Minister From INOC; Top Court Rules Against Accepting New Presidential Candidates, Revokes Cabinet Order To Form Anti-Corruption Committee
On February 28, Iraqi President Barham Salih decided to withdraw a presidential decree he had issued on February 26 that pardoned Jawad Kuay Jawad, a convicted drug dealer who is also the son of resigned Najaf governor Luay al-Yasiri. The presidential pardon, which Salih said was made on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, caused public outrage amid speculations that both the pardon and Yasiri’s recent resignation were part of some political “deal.”
On February 28, the heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial authorities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI) issued a joint statement denouncing the February 15 ruling by Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court that declared the KRI Oil and Gas Law to be unconstitutional and invalid. The KRI authorities said the Court decision ran against “the letter, spirit, and true principles of the federal system,” and represented “an unconstitutional amendment to the constitution.” The statement said the ruling was biased and had “ulterior [political] motives,” adding that the Supreme Federal Court must be reformed based on a new law in accordance with article 92 of the constitution. The KRI authorities reaffirmed that the region would “continue to exercise its constitutional rights and won’t in any way relinquish its constitutional rights and powers.”
On February 28, the Iraqi Parliament voted to terminate the appointment of Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismael as director of the National Oil Company. A statement released by Parliament’s press office said the legislature found that Ismael’s appointment to INOC leadership in 2020, in addition to his role as Oil Minister, violated the law.
On February 28, Iraq’s Parliament voted to establish 25 permanent parliamentary committees to be in charge of various legislative areas. According to lawmaker Nayef al-Shammari, Parliament will begin appointing chairpersons and members to each of the 25 committees based on their expertise as soon as next week. The full list of the 25 committees can be found here.
On March 1, Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court ruled that the February 8 decision by Parliament’s leadership (the Speaker and his deputies) to reopen the window for accepting new presidential candidates was not supported by law. The Court ruling stated that “no constitutional or legal text” gives the speaker and his deputies the power to make that decision, adding that Parliament as whole can vote to accept new candidacy statements. The Court ruling was in response to a case filed by independent lawmaker Basim Khashan. The Fatah Coalition said it welcomed the Court’s decision.
On March 2, Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court ruled to revoke the Council of Ministers order number 29 of 2020, which established a permanent committee charged with investigating corruption and other major crimes. The Court ruling argued that the formation of the committee violated the principle of separation of powers and interfered in the work of the judicial branch. The committee in question, which has been chaired by deputy Interior Minister Ahmed Abu Ragheef, has been involved in a number of high profile arrests since its formation in August 2020. A lawyer with knowledge of the Court decision told al-Mada that the lawsuits against the committee were filed by the suspect in the assassination of security analyst Husham al-Hashimi and high profile convicts in corruption cases, including former Ninew governor Nawfal al-Akoub. A senior member of the coordination framework for Shia parties (CF) said that the Court order is proof that the prime minister’s decisions were illegal, adding that it will allow those harmed by the committee’s actions to prosecute Abu Ragheef and other committee officials.
On March 3, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi appointed Abdul-Khaliq Midhat al-Azawi as the new head of the Sunni Endowment Council. Azawi will replace Saad Hamid Kambash, who has been reassigned to serve as the deputy head of the Sunni Endowment Council.
Military Intelligence Chief Sacked After Attempt To Free Suspect In Plot To Assassinate Kadhimi
On February 24, security sources in Kirkuk said that an improvised explosive device (IED) struck a federal police patrol in the village of Alzji, south of the Daquq district. The explosion wounded four members of federal police’s 20th brigade.
On February 25, security sources in Anbar said that ISIS militants attacked an army checkpoint and civilian vehicles with direct fire at a spot approximately 25 miles east of the Rutba district. The attack, which occurred on the main highway leading to Jordan, killed one civilian, according to the sources.
On February 25, security sources in Kirkuk said that three gunmen attempted to kill a lieutenant colonel in the security forces when they attacked him in his vehicle in central Kirkuk. The attackers fled the scene after the officer resisted them. He was unharmed in the attack.
On February 25, Shafaq News reported that Prime Minister Kadhimi relieved the chief of military intelligence, major general Faez al-Mamouri, from duty and replaced him with his deputy, major general Zaid Hoshi. Kadhimi ordered the command change after a unit from the military intelligence attempted to help one of the suspects in the November 7 attack on Kadhimi’s residence escape from a court complex in Baghdad’s Karkh district. The attempted escape was prevented by a force from the Counter-Terrorism Service that surrounded the court complex and reportedly took the suspect to an undisclosed safe site.
On February 26, local officials in the town of Dijail in Salah ad-Din province said that several mortar rounds struck a residential area in the Khazraj region, between Dijail and the Yathrib subdistrict. The attack caused material damage to several homes but there were no reports of casualties.
On February 28, Ninewa police sources said that an IED struck a local police patrol at the Qayyara junction, about 40 miles south of Mosul. The explosion seriously injured one member of the police patrol.
On March 1, the Security Media Cell reported that Iraqi F-16 jets performed three airstrikes against ISIS cells in the Shuayeb al-Dhay’ region of Anbar province. The airstrikes killed three ISIS militants.
On March 1, security sources in Baghdad said that an IED exploded near the headquarters of the Emergency Response Division (ERD) inside the perimeter of Baghdad International Airport. The explosion did not result in casualties.
On March 1, security sources in southern Iraq said that an IED explosion targeted a convoy transporting supplies for the International Coalition forces on a main highway in the northern parts of Dhi-Qar province. A few hours later, a second IED exploded targeting another supply convoy on a main highway in Diwaniyah province. There were no reports of casualties associated with either attack.
On March 2, local sources in Basra said that a remnant of war exploded in the desert of Muthanna province near the borders with Kuwait. The explosion killed a 19 year old sheep herder who was working in the area.
On March 2, Maysan police sources said that a group of six gunmen opened fire on a police convoy that was transporting detainees who had been involved in a tribal conflict. The attack, which occurred in the Uzeir subdistrict, south of Amara, injured one of the detainees. Police said the attackers, who were arrested, were motivated by a history of tribal conflict with the detainees and intended to kill them.
On March 2, local sources in Diyala said that an attack with an under-vehicle IED (UVIED) targeted a lawyer in the Kanaan subdistrict east of Baquba. The explosion injured the targeted individual and destroyed his vehicle.
On March 3, security sources in Baghdad said that an Iraqi soldier was killed while his unit was responding to an armed tribal clash in the Shaab area in eastern Baghdad. The clashes reportedly involved the use of small and medium weapons.
Commander Says Sinjar Is Safe For IDPs To Return; KRG To Reform Social Protection System
On February 28, a senior Iraqi commander declared that security conditions in the Sinjar district were suitable for the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs). After touring the district, lieutenant general Abdul-Amir al-Shammari, the deputy chief of the Joint Operations Command, said the situation in Sinjar was “stable, with clear control by security forces of the perimeter.” During his visit, Shammari met with the governor of Ninewa and a representative of the UN mission and discussed further steps needed to facilitate the return of IDPs and restoration of public services. For his part, the governor of Ninewa said after meeting Shammari that he expects the Council of Minister to soon release “frozen” Ninewa reconstruction funds, adding that some of the funds would go to rebuilding Sinjar, without offering further details.
On February 28, Iraq’s Planning Ministry claimed that Iraq completed construction on 2,160 buildings at schools across the country during 2021. These buildings included 482 kindergartens, 1,189 primary and middle schools, 489 high schools, and other administrative buildings. According to the Ministry, Basra took the lead with 444 buildings, followed by Ninewa (346), Baghdad (214), Anbar (176), Kirkuk (154), Babylon (121), Maysan (119), Muthanna (79), Wasit (67), Diwaniyah (60), and Diyala (58), Najaf (51), Salah ad-Din (46), Dhi-Qar (38), and Karbala (6).
On March 1, the Kurdistan regional government (KRG) and three UN organizations (UNICEF, ILO, and WFP) announced a new EU-funded initiative that aims to make the region’s social protection system more effective in responding to socio-economic shocks. The new joint program focuses on “adapting, expanding, and innovating social protection responses” to help families in need, with a focus on “women, children, their families, workers in the informal sector” and communities affected by COVID-19. “Social protection reform means we can better fight poverty and ensure that vulnerable women, children and their families are included and supported. This programme is just the beginning of a process that will improve access to basic needs such as food, access to health care, education and vital public services for vulnerable families, as well as employment opportunities and improved working conditions,” the representatives of the UN organizations said in a joint statement.
On March 3, the Iraqi Ministry of Health reported the total number of COVID-19 infections reached 2,306,092, an increase of 7,928 in cases from the 2,298,164 reported on February 24. Of these cases, 30,160 are currently under treatment, including 111 being treated in ICUs. These numbers represent a decrease of 9,507 in hospitalizations and 63 in ICU admissions since February 24. Ministry data indicated that there were 97 new COVID-19 deaths since February 24, bringing the total from 24,931 to 25,028. Total recoveries increased from 2,233,566 to 2,250,904. The average number of new cases during the last 7-day period dropped to 1,133 per day from 1,673 per day during the 7-day period ending February 24. In the past 24 hours, the areas with the highest case counts were Sulaymaniyah with 157 cases, Baghdad with 144, Duhok with 107, Basra with 98, and Erbil and Ninewa with 84 cases each. To date, Iraq has tested a total of 18,020,396 samples for COVID-19. The number of people who received the COVID-19 vaccine reached 9,955,720 including 40,634 who received their shots on March 3.
Disruptions Hit Southern Oil Fields; Strike Halts Movement At Border Crossing With Saudi Arabia; February Oil Revenue At $8.5 Billion
On February 25, Reuters reported citing Iraqi oil officials that production at the West Qurna-2 oil field in Basra had been suspended while the field’s operator, Lukoil, performed maintenance and pipeline work. A senior Iraqi oil official at the field said that the suspension will last 21 days, adding that the work to connect new wells and facilities to the field’s central processing facility would allow production to rise from 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 450,000 bpd.
On February 25, the Dhi-Qar Oil Company said it was forced to halt 80,000 bpd in oil production due to protests and roadblocks that have prevented oil crews from reaching a key gas separation plant in the province. In a statement, the company added that the disruption would also impact natural gas supplies to power plants that depend on it to generate electricity. The local Bidoor tribe has been protesting near oil facilities since mid February. The tribe demands jobs in the oil sector and security forces for hundreds of its members.
On February 28, officials at the Arar border crossing with Saudi Arabia said that movement through the crossing had ceased amid a strike by cargo handlers. According to the unnamed official, the cargo handlers have raised complaints about a senior officer at the facility, who allegedly abused his position to impose illegal fees on goods passing through Arar. The strike prompted border crossing management to report the officer in question to the headquarters of the Border Ports Commission to investigate the matter.
On March 1, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil said that crude oil exports during February totaled 92.79 million barrels, for an average of 3.314 million barrels per day (bpd), about 111,000 higher than January’s average of 3.203 million bpd. The February exports generated $8.54 billion in revenue, about $270 million higher than January’s $8.27 billion. Iraq sold its crude oil at an average price of approximately $92 per barrel, more than $8.75 above the previous month’s average of $83.24 per barrel. Shipped exports from fields in southern and central Iraq averaged 3.261 million bpd in February, while average exports from the northern fields in Kirkuk, which were exported through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, increased to just over 118,000 bpd.
On March 3, Iraq’s Transportation Minister said that Iraq was serious about connecting the Kurdistan region with the rest of the country with railroads to offer “safe and fast means of transportation.” Speaking at a joint press conference with his regional counterpart, Minister Nasir al-Shibli also said that “soon” there will be at least two weekly flights between the Sulaymaniyah and Erbil airports to meet demand for this route.
IED Incidents and Resulting Casualties
Casualties Due To IEDs from February 24, 2022 - March 3, 2022
The following table includes both civilian and security forces who were either injured or killed due to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), or suicide attacks.| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24/22 | Near Daquq, Kirkuk province | 0 | 4 |
| 2/28/22 | Qayyara, Ninewa province | 0 | 1 |
| 3/01/22 | Baghdad Airport | 0 | 0 |
| 3/01/22 | Dhi-Qar province | 0 | 0 |
| 3/01/22 | Diwaniyah province | 0 | 0 |
| 3/02/22 | Kanaan, Diyala province | 0 | 1 |
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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