Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Cabinet Sends New PMF Bill to Parliament; Former PM Kadhimi Holds Talks in Baghdad; Rubio Pushes Sudani to Counter Iran’s Influence – On February 25, the Iraqi government approved a new draft of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Service and Retirement Law and sent it to parliament for a vote. This comes a week after the leaders of the Coordination Framework (CF) agreed on a revised draft, which reportedly allows the Prime Minister to extend the retirement age for senior PMF commanders, including Chairman Falih al-Fayyadh, by five years. Senior CF leaders have reportedly been divided on the issue, with one camp, led by Hadi al-Amiri, favoring the law’s passage in a way that allows Fayyadh to remain in office, while another camp, led by Qais al-Khazali and Nouri al-Maliki, wants to pass the law even if it results in Fayyadh’s removal. On February 25, former PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi visited Baghdad for the first time since leaving office in October 2022. Sources close to Kadhimi said he was invited by “current Iraqi political leaders who hope he can use his connections to help them address a worsening economic crisis.” A former lawmaker said the visit had two additional purposes: discussing the formation of a new political party and clearing his name, as well as defending some of his aides who have been accused in connection with the infamous “heist of the century” scandal. Kadhimi’s first public appearance was on Thursday when he met with Ammar al-Hakim and later with veteran politician Iyad Allawi. On February 25, the U.S. State Department said Senator Marco Rubio spoke on the phone with PM Sudani to discuss “the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership and the importance of Iraq’s stability and sovereignty.” The two sides also discussed “reducing Iran’s malign influence and continuing efforts to prevent ISIS from resurging.” The conversation additionally covered energy and investment relations, specifically “the need for Iraq to become energy independent, to quickly reopen the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline, and to honor contractual terms for U.S. companies working in Iraq.” more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iraq Proposes New Security Agreement with Washington – On February 25, Iraq’s Defense Minister Thabit al-Abbasi said the Iraqi government has presented a new security agreement proposal to the U.S. administration. Speaking to reporters, Abbasi said the proposal focuses on establishing a lasting security partnership and extensive intelligence cooperation. However, he did not provide specifics on the proposal, when it was made, or how it relates to existing agreements between Washington and Baghdad. Abbasi noted that prisons and camps holding ISIS fighters and civilians with perceived ties to ISIS remain a major concern for Baghdad. He added that Iraq supports the continued U.S. military presence in eastern Syria until either a capable national Syrian army is created, or Iraq makes the necessary arrangements with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The proposed agreement is currently under consideration in Washington, according to the Iraqi minister. In other developments, between February 23 and 25, two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and one remnant of war exploded in Kirkuk, Diyala, and Sulaymaniyah, killing a nine-year-old boy and wounding an Iraqi army officer. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Oil Exports from Kurdistan to Resume at 185,000 bpd; Iraq Releases New Census Data; BP Signs Final Agreement to Redevelop Kirkuk Oil Fields – On February 23, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources announced that it had reached an agreement with Iraq’s federal Oil Ministry to resume oil exports via the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline “based on available volumes.” The two sides have also formed a joint technical team to confirm the pipeline’s operational readiness. Initially, the Oil Ministry will receive 185,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil for export from its KRG counterpart, while the remainder of the region’s 300,000 bpd oil production will be used domestically. Oil Minister Hayan Abdulghani said exports could commence “within two days” pending Turkey’s approval. On February 24, Iraq’s Planning Ministry released new data from last November’s population census. The data put Iraq’s population at 46.1 million, a revision from the earlier preliminary estimate of 45.4 million. The new data covers several key areas, including literacy, poverty, average income and spending, workforce statistics, and access to water, electricity, and sanitation. On February 26, Iraq’s North Oil Company and BP signed a long-anticipated agreement for the redevelopment of four oil fields in Kirkuk. The agreement covers the Avana and Baba domes of the Kirkuk field, as well as the nearby Khabbaz, Jambur, and Bai Hassan fields. Iraq’s Oil Minister said the deal aims to increase the fields’ output to 450,000 bpd. The agreement also includes provisions for capturing 400 million cubic feet per day of associated natural gas, expanding gas processing facilities, and constructing a 400-megawatt power plant. In other developments, on February 25, Iraq’s Ministry of Construction and Housing announced plans to launch a project, funded by UK Export Finance (UKEF) loans, to collect, process, and reuse irrigation drainage water across several provinces in central and southern Iraq. On February 27, Iraq’s Oil Ministry reported that oil exports in January averaged 3.33 million bpd, an increase of approximately 75,000 bpd from December. 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: Cabinet Sends New PMF Bill to Parliament; Former PM Kadhimi Holds Talks in Baghdad; Rubio Pushes Sudani to Counter Iran’s Influence

On February 25, the government of Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani approved a new draft of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Service and Retirement law and sent it to parliament to put it to a vote. This comes a week after news reports said that the leaders of the Coordination Framework (CF) agreed on a new draft of the bill which reportedly includes a new clause that allows the Prime Minister to extend the retirement age for senior PMF commanders, as needed, by five years. The clause would also apply to the chairman of the Popular Mobilization Commission, until a replacement can be found. Retirement age for senior government officials has been a hotly debated issue, especially as it relates to the possible departure of people holding key positions, such as PMF chairman Falih al-Fayyadh. Senior CF leaders have reportedly been divided on the issue, with one camp led by Hadi al-Amiri described as keen on passing the law in a way that allows Falih al-Fayyadh to remain in office, and another camp led by Qais al-Khazali and Nouri al-Maliki that wants to pass the law even if it meant getting rid of Fayyadh. In related news, parliamentary sources said earlier this week that CF may seek to get the Sunni and Kurdish blocs to support the PMF bill by attaching it to two other bills of interest to them. The two bills in question deal with dissolving the Accountability and Justice (formerly known as De-Ba’athification) Commission and recognizing Halabja as Iraq’s 19th province. This method of grouping several bills together and passing them in a single vote has raised objections after it was used recently to pass amendments to the Personal Status Law along with amendments to the General Amnesty Law and a bill that deals with the return of properties confiscated by the Ba’ath Party regime.

On February 25, political sources said that former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi had arrived in Baghdad. This is Kadhimi’s first appearance in Iraq since he left office in October 2022. Sources affiliated with Kadhimi’s office told AP that the former prime minister was invited to Baghdad by “current Iraqi political leaders who hoped he could use his connections to help them confront a worsening economic crisis that threatens the country’s stability.” A former lawmaker said the visit has been planned for weeks and has two other purposes: to discuss forming a new political party, and to clear his name and defend some of his aides who have faced accusations in connection with the infamous “heist of the century” scandal. Kadhimi’s first public appearance was on Thursday when he met with Ammar al-Hakim and later with veteran politicians Iyad Allawi and Salih al-Mutlaq. Kadhimi, who enjoys good relations with the U.S. and Arab Gulf states, was often at odds with Iran-backed Iraqi militias and had faced threats and assassination attempts during his term.

On February 25, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani received a phone call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss bilateral relations, a statement by Sudani’s office said. The State Department said Rubio and Sudani discussed “the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership and the importance of Iraq’s stability and sovereignty.” The two sides also discussed “reducing Iran’s malign influence and continuing efforts to prevent ISIS from resurging and destabilizing the broader region.” The State Department added that the conversation also addressed energy and investment relations, specifically “the need for Iraq to become energy independent, to quickly reopen the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline, and to honor contractual terms for U.S. companies working in Iraq to attract additional investment.” During the call, Rubio also “reaffirmed the importance of Syria not becoming a haven for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors.”  

On February 26, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev visited Baghdad where he signed new agreements dealing with energy, maritime transportation, health, and trade chambers, according to Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. The Iraqi minister did not provide further details about the agreements. Meanwhile, the Russian minister told reporters that two Russian oil companies  Gazprom Neft and Zarubezhneft are interested in bidding for new “greenfield projects” in Iraq, a reference to oil and gas prospects that have not been developed yet. While Gazprom is already active in Iraq’s energy sector, Zarubezhneft would be entering the market for the first time.

Sources in this section include: INA, ISHM archive, al-Aalem, The Arab Weekly, a;-Sumaria, Baghdad Today, AP, Ultra Iraq, social media, State Department, TASS. 

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iraq Proposes New Security Agreement with Washington

On February 23, security sources in Kirkuk province said that an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near an Iraqi army patrol during a security operation in the Wadi al-Shay region near the Daquq district. The explosion, attributed to a legacy IED, wounded an officer with the rank of major.

On February 23, local sources in Diyala province said that an IED placed by unidentified individuals detonated outside the home of a high school principal in al-Mansouriyah, northeast of Baquba. The explosion caused material damages but there were no reports of casualties. 

On February 25, Iraq’s Defense Minister Thabit al-Abbasi said that his government has presented a new security agreement proposal to the Trump administration. Speaking to reporters, Abbasi said the Iraqi proposal focuses on establishing a lasting security partnership and extensive intelligence cooperation, without offering specifics. Abbasi pointed out that prisons and camps holding ISIS fighters and civilians with perceived ties to ISIS were a major source of concern for Baghdad, adding that Iraq is in favor of continued U.S. military presence in eastern Syria until either a capable national Syrian army is created or his country makes necessary arrangements with the Syrian Democratic Forces.  The proposed agreement is being considered by Washington, according to the Iraqi minister.   

On February 25, police sources in Sulaymaniyah province said that an explosive remnant of war detonated outside the village of Haji Awad in the Sargala subdistrict. The explosion killed a nine year old boy while he was herding animals in the area. 

On February 26, police sources in Babylon province said that unidentified individuals attacked the home of a former senior officer in the Interior Ministry with a hand grenade. The attack, which took place in the Jbala district, caused damage to the building and vehicles parked nearby but there were no reports of casualties. 

Sources in this section include: Shafaq, Baghdad Today, NINA.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Oil Exports from Kurdistan to Resume at 185,000 bpd; Iraq Releases New Census Data; BP Signs Final Agreement to Redevelop Kirkuk Oil Fields

On February 23, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources said it reached an agreement with Iraq’s federal Oil Ministry to resume oil exports from the region’s fields via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline “based on available volumes.” The two sides have also formed a joint technical team to inspect the Iraqi section of the pipeline and confirm its operational readiness for use. At first, the federal Oil Ministry will receive 185,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil for export from its KRG counterpart, according to the deputy oil minister for extraction affairs, Basim Khudeir. The official added that fields in the Kurdistan region are currently producing a total of 300,000 bpd. The remaining volume is allocated to domestic consumption. As the region ramps up its oil production, export volumes will be expected to reach 400,000 bpd in accordance with the budget law, Khudeir added. The announcement came a day after KRG President Nechirvan Barzani met with Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani in Baghdad and discussed the need to resume oil exports and implement recent amendments to the budget law concerning the cost of oil production and transportation. In remarks on Monday Oil Minister Hayan Abdulghani said exports could commence “within two days” pending Turkey’s approval.

On February 23, a group of teachers and other government employees blocked a main road used by oil tankers between Sulaymaniyah and the town of Arbat. The civil servants have been holding a weeks-long protest demanding regular payment of their salaries, which have been embroiled in protracted disputes between the federal government and the Kurdistan regional government (KRG). News reports say that some of the truck drivers were forced to seek different routes as the protesters blocked their path.

On February 24, Iraq’s Planning Ministry released new data from the national population census that was launched on November 20. The new data put Iraq’s population at 46.1 million inhabitants, a revision of the 45.4 million total included in preliminary results released in November. Of this population children under the age of 15 represent 35.9%, while those in the working age group of 15-64 years old represented 60.4%, and seniors over the age of 65 represented the remaining 3.6%. Fertility rates stand at 3.9%, while mortality rates among women is at 26.7 per 100,0000. The data show illiteracy rates to be at 15.3% among Iraqis ten and older, with 88% of children enrolled in primary schools. In terms of basic services, 87% of households have access to potable water at home and 98% of households are connected to the public power grid. Additionally, only 49% of households have access to municipal sewer systems and only 58% are served by regular municipal waste collection. Another 13% of households dispose of trash by burning it. When it comes to workforce and employment, the data show that 41.6% of Iraqis 16 and up are economically active, of whom 38.2% are employed in the public or private sectors. In related news, the Planning Ministry this week released new figures about social conditions in the country showing a general decline in poverty rates across Iraq. Poverty rates are now estimated at 17.5%, representing an improvement from 2018 when the rate stood at 20%.  Poverty rates are highest in Muthanna province (40%) followed by Babylon (35.7%), and lowest in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, where 7% and 8% of the population are under the poverty line, respectively. The data also show that Iraqis on average have a monthly income of just over IQD 201,000 (approximately $135) and a monthly expenditure of more than IQD 248,000 (approximately $165).

On February 25, Iraq’s Ministry of Construction and Housing said that Iraq will begin implementing a project to collect, process, and reuse irrigation drainage water across several provinces in central and southern Iraq. The project, which will be funded by a loan from the UK Export Finance Department (UKEF), is part of the agreements signed during Prime Minister Sudani’s visit to London in January. The first phase of the project will be implemented in the provinces of Anbar, Wasit, Diwaniyah, Basra, and Dhi-Qar, while Baghdad and Babylon will be added in the second phase, according to the director of the ministry’s water department.

On February 26, Iraq’s North Oil Company and BP executives signed a long-anticipated agreement covering “all contractual terms” for the redevelopment of four oil fields in Kirkuk, BP and a statement by Prime Minister Sudani’s office said. This agreement covers the Avana and Baba domes of the Kirkuk oil field, as well as the nearby oil fields of Khabbaz, Jambur, and Bai Hassan. Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdulghani had previously indicated that the deal would target 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) in added production from those fields, bringing their output to 450,000 bpd of oil. The agreement also provides for capturing 400 million cubic feet per day of associated natural gas from these fields, the expansion of natural gas processing facilities at North Gas Company, and construction of a power plant with a capacity of 400 megawatts, the statement added. The project, which is expected to require billions of dollars in investments, aims to provide additional volumes of crude oil for northern refineries and reduce their reliance on crude from southern fields. This week’s agreement comes several months after Iraq and BP signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the Avana and Baba domes of the Kirkuk oil field, as well as the nearby oil fields of Khabbaz, Jambur, and Bai Hassan. The two sides first signed a letter of intent to study the possibility of developing the giant Kirkuk field more than a decade ago in 2013.

On February 26, Iraq’s Oil Ministry decided to remove the current director of the country’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) from office, an Oil Ministry document shows. The outgoing director, Khudair Abbas, who has been in this position for less than ten months, will be replaced by his deputy, Ali Nizar Faeq, the document shows.  

On February 27, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that crude oil exports during January totaled more than 103.34 million barrels, for an average of 3.33 million bpd, which is about 75,000 bpd above exports in December. In its statement, the Ministry of Oil neglected to mention the total revenue generated by the January exports and the average price at which the oil was sold. Nearly all of the oil produced came from fields in southern and central Iraq and was exported through the ports of Basra, while small amounts averaging approximately 10,000 bpd were exported by trucks to Jordan. Exports from the northern fields in Kirkuk, as well as fields under the control of the Kurdistan regional government, remained suspended as of reporting. 

Sources in this section include: Rudaw, al-Sumaria, ISHM archive, BP, INA, Kurdistan24, Peregraf, NRT, Iraqi PM’s office, Reuters. 

IED Incidents and Resulting Casualties

Casualties Due To IEDs and ERWs from February 20, 2025 - February 27, 2025

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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