Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Deadlock Over Maliki’s Nomination Continues as U.S. Reaffirms Opposition; Kuwait Objects to Iraqi Maritime Border Claims – On February 22, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack used his meeting with Prime Minister Sudani to reaffirm Washington’s opposition to Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination to form Iraq’s next government, stressing the need for leadership aligned with President Trump’s vision for Iraq’s stability and regional peace. Maliki has refused to withdraw, saying he would step aside only if most Coordination Framework (CF) leaders request it. The CF’s latest statement avoided mentioning his candidacy, underscoring the ongoing deadlock. Barrack also met Kurdish leaders, including Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani, to discuss stalled government formation in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, and developments in Syria. On February 23, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry delivered a protest note to Baghdad rejecting what it described as an “infringement on its maritime sovereignty,” signaling renewed tensions over the shared maritime border in the Khor Abdullah waterway. The protest followed Iraq’s submission of maps and coordinates to the UN delineating what it claims are Iraqi territorial waters in the Gulf. Kuwait maintains that some of the areas overlap with its territory. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain expressed solidarity with Kuwait and urged Iraq to respect international law. In 2023, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court nullified a 2013 bilateral agreement regulating navigation in Khor Abdullah. In other developments, on February 23, the al-Muthanna provincial council elected Ahmed Manfi Jodah as governor, hours after accepting the resignation of his predecessor, Muhannad al-Itabi, who denies stepping down. The move heightened tensions between the State of Law bloc, to which Itabi belongs, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Hikma Movement, which backed Jodah. On February 26, security forces arrested politician Yezin Mishan al-Jubouri at his Baghdad residence on charges of falsely presenting himself as a senior government official to obtain an estimated 41 billion IQD in financial gains. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Al-Hol Camp Emptied Following Transfers and Escapes – On February 22, Syrian officials announced that al-Hol camp in northeast Syria—once home to tens of thousands of women and children with alleged ISIS ties—has been emptied. In recent weeks, many residents were transferred to Akhtarin camp in Aleppo province. Meanwhile, 191 Iraqi nationals were repatriated with assistance from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Syrian officials also acknowledged that large numbers of residents—possibly as many as 20,000—escaped without supervision during the chaos that followed the departure of Syrian Kurdish forces from the camp. An Iraqi Migration Ministry spokesman said the repatriated group was the last of al-Hol’s Iraqi residents who wished to return, adding that “no more than 250” opted to relocate elsewhere in Syria. In recent weeks, the camp’s population was estimated at around 24,000, including up to 4,000 Iraqis. In other developments, on February 23, U.S. forces evacuated the Qasrak base in northeast Syria and moved toward the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The withdrawal came less than two weeks after U.S. troops left the Tanf base along Syria’s borders with Iraq and Jordan. Footage posted by Rudaw showed a convoy of trucks carrying U.S. equipment toward the Iraqi border, with Apache helicopters overhead. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Chevron to Acquire Lukoil’s Share at West Qurna-2; Ministry Reinstates Telecom Taxes; Iran Resumes Gas Supplies; KBR Wins Majnoon Contract – On February 23, Chevron signed a preliminary agreement with the state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC) to assume management of the West Qurna-2 oil field. BOC took control in January after Lukoil declared force majeure in response to U.S. sanctions. Chevron also signed an agreement with the state-owned Dhi-Qar and North Oil Companies adding the Nasiriyah field to an earlier deal covering the Balad field and four exploration blocks in Dhi-Qar province. The same day, Iraq’s Ministry of Communications reinstated a 20% sales tax on internet subscriptions. The tax was first imposed in 2015 and abolished by the Sudani government in 2022. Also on February 23, KBR announced it had secured a major contract from BOC to provide integrated field-management services at the Majnoon oil field. The company will oversee engineering, operations, maintenance, and digital optimization to boost output and modernize facilities. On February 26, Iraq’s Electricity Ministry said Iran had resumed natural gas exports at seven million cubic meters per day—about one-third of the average volume supplied in 2024. Iranian gas deliveries had been suspended since late December due to an unspecified malfunction. Separately, on February 25, Iraq’s Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) reported that crude exports in January averaged 3.471 million barrels per day, roughly unchanged from the previous month. Revenue totaled $6.485 billion, up about $97 million month-on-month. 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: Deadlock Over Maliki’s Nomination Continues as U.S. Reaffirms Opposition; Kuwait Objects to Iraqi Maritime Border Claims

On February 22, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, met with Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani in Baghdad. The discussion covered bilateral relations, and efforts to support regional stability—particularly in Syria, according to a statement by Sudani’s office. The meeting also addressed preventing regional escalation and the importance of resorting to dialogue to resolve conflicts, a reference to tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Sudani and Barrack also discussed opportunities for economic cooperation and support for comprehensive development that strengthens long‑term stability. Barrack described his talks with Sudani as “fruitful,” noting that they focused on “continued Iraqi goals and objectives to build a sovereign, stable, and prosperous future that aligns with @POTUS’s desire and plan for peace and prosperity in the region.” In an apparent reference to Washington’s objection to the nomination of Nouri al-Maliki for prime minister, Barrack stressed that “the necessity of effective leadership that aligns itself with the policies and practices of further stabilization for Iraq…is key to our mutual goals.” Maliki has shown no indications that he plans to step down, reiterating this week that, as next prime minister, he would work to place all weapons under state control and nurture strong relations with the U.S. and other Western capitals. Coordination Framework sources have indicated that Maliki insists that he would end his bid to form the next government only if told to do so by a majority of the Coordination Framework leaders. In a statement issued following their latest meeting on Tuesday, CF leaders, who were expected to make a new decision about their prime ministerial candidate, avoided mentioning Maliki’s nomination altogether – a sign of continued paralysis. While in Baghdad, the U.S. envoy met with Faeq Zaidan, the head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council and discussed legal proceedings concerning the thousands of ISIS detainees who had recently been transferred from Syria to Iraq, according to a statement by Zaidan’s office. On the following day, Barrack traveled to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah for talks with Kurdish leaders, including Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani. Discussions covered stalled government formation negotiations in Baghdad and the Kurdistan region, including electing a new president of Iraq, as well as disputes between Kurdistan and the federal government, and conditions in Syria.

On February 23, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry delivered an official protest note to the Iraqi government, declaring its firm rejection of what it described as “an infringement on its maritime sovereignty.” The move signals renewed tension over the shared maritime border in the Khor Abdullah waterway on the Gulf. The protest came after the Iraqi government submitted maps and coordinates to the United Nations to delineate what it claims to be Iraqi territorial waters in the Gulf. Kuwait, however, maintains that some of those areas include Kuwaiti territory. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein defended the move on Monday, saying in a statement Monday that Kuwait had “deposited its maps with the United Nations in 2014, without consulting Iraq at the time.” The Kuwaiti protest note stressed the need to adhere to international agreements and UN resolutions governing the borders between the two countries, emphasizing that any encroachment on Kuwaiti territorial waters constitutes a breach of diplomatic norms. Kuwait also called on Iraq to prevent any activities that could be interpreted as violations of Kuwaiti sovereignty. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain expressed concern and solidarity with Kuwait in the dispute, and urged Baghdad to respect Kuwait’s sovereignty and international law. The territorial dispute between Iraq and Kuwait over Khor Abdullah is decades-old. In 2012, the two sides reached an agreement regulating movement in Khor Abdullah, but in 2023, two members of the Iraqi parliament filed a lawsuit seeking to repeal the agreement, saying it infringed on Iraq’s rights and that its ratification by parliament was improperly conducted. Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court subsequently ruled to nullify the agreement and said it found parliament’s ratification of the treaty violated article 61 of the Iraqi constitution, which states that ratifying international treaties requires a law passed by a two thirds majority. Last year, President Abdullatif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani made efforts to reverse the Court decision. The Iraqi government defended the move with a statement on Wednesday, in which it affirmed Iraq’s sovereign right over its territory and territorial waters. It also stressed that Iraq is “committed to maintaining the best possible relations with all neighboring countries, in a way that guarantees mutual rights and national sovereignty.”

On February 23, a spokesman for the Kataib Hezbollah militia warned Kurdish authorities in Iraq and Syria against getting involved in assisting military action by the U.S. against Iran. In a statement posted on social media, the spokesman known as Abu Ali al-Askari, claimed that the U.S. was preparing for a ground-based operation against Iran, starting from Syria and passing through Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Unlike previous statements addressing tensions between Iran and the U.S., the message did not include any specific threats of retaliation in case Iran came under attack. 

On February 23, the al‑Muthanna provincial council elected Ahmed Manfi Jodah as governor, just hours after accepting the resignation of his predecessor, Muhannad al‑Itabi. The council approved Jodah’s appointment by a vote of 10 to 2. A handwritten letter circulating this week appears to show that al‑Itabi had submitted his resignation, citing opposition from several council members to his continued tenure, though he publicly denies stepping down.  Jodah’s selection—widely viewed as engineered by council members aligned with Asaib Ahl al‑Haq and the Hikma Movement—prompted objections from Nouri al‑Maliki, who insisted that the governorship is an entitlement of his State of Law coalition, specifically its al‑Nahj al‑Watani faction to which al‑Itabi belongs.

On February 26, security forces arrested politician Yezin Mishan al‑Jubouri at his Baghdad residence, his father, veteran Sunni politician Mishan al‑Jubouri, said. According to INA, the arrest was carried out under a warrant issued by the Central Anti‑Corruption Criminal Court. The warrant alleges that Jubouri falsely presented himself as a senior government official to obtain financial gains estimated at 41 billion IQD. It provides no additional details about the accusations.

Sources cited in this section include: Iraqi PM’s office, Baghdad Today, ISHM archive, U.S. Embassy Turkey, al-Aalem al-Jadeed, Rudaw, INA, Mawazin, Shafaq, Asharq al-Awsat, social media, al-Sumaria. 

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Al-Hol Camp Emptied Following Transfers and Escapes

On February 22, Syrian government officials announced that al-Hol camp in northeast Syria—once home to tens of thousands of women and children with alleged ties to ISIS—has been emptied. According to a Syrian Foreign Ministry official, the final group of residents departed on Sunday morning. Many of al-Hol’s residents were transferred to the Akhtarin camp in Aleppo province in recent weeks. Meanwhile, 191 Iraqi nationals were repatriated to Iraq with assistance from the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR). Syrian officials also acknowledged that large numbers of al-Hol residents had also escaped (possibly as many as 20,000) without supervision in the chaos following the departure of Syrian Kurdish forces from the camp. A spokesman for Iraq’s Migration Ministry said the group was the last of al-Hol’s Iraqi residents who wished to return, adding that “no more than 250” opted to relocate elsewhere in Syria. In recent weeks, the population of the sprawling camp was estimated at around 24,000, including up to 4,000 Iraqi nationals. Although residents were held under tight security for years, they were not formally classified as prisoners, and most were never charged with crimes. 

On February 23, U.S. military forces evacuated the Qasrak base in northeast Syria and headed for the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The news comes less than two weeks after U.S. forces withdrew from the Tanf base, which straddles Syria’s borders with Iraq and Jordan. Footage posted by Rudaw showed a long convoy of trucks carrying U.S. equipment and headed for the Iraqi border with armed Apache helicopters circling overhead. The U.S. military still maintains several other bases inside Syria.  

On February 23, the Turkish ambassador to Iraq, Anil Bora Anan, said that Ankara and Baghdad have agreed to transfer 181 Turkish nationals who were among more than 5,700 ISIS detainees recently relocated from Syria to Iraq. Iraqi and Turkish officials will meet next week to verify the detainees’ identities and coordinate the needed legal proceedings, the ambassador added. 

Sources cited in this section include: AP, ISHM archive, Washington Post, Kurdistan24, al-Ghad, Rudaw.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Chevron to Acquire Lukoil’s Share at West Qurna-2; Ministry Reinstates Telecom Taxes; Iran Resumes Gas Supplies; KBR Wins Majnoon Contract

On February 23, Chevron signed two preliminary agreements to develop major oil fields in Iraq, according to the Oil Ministry. The first agreement, signed with the state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC), provides for the transfer of management of the West Qurna-2 oil field to Chevron. The second agreement, signed with the state-owned Dhi-Qar and North Oil Companies, covers the development of the Nasiriyah and Balad oil fields, as well as four exploration blocks in Dhi-Qar province. It amends a previous deal signed in August by adding the Nasiriyah field. The signing ceremony was attended by U.S. Special Envoy to Iraq Tom Barrack and Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani. Last week, BOC and the former operator of West Qurna-2, Russian oil company Lukoil, reached a settlement to temporarily transfer operations of the field to BOC and resolve all outstanding financial claims. According to the Oil Ministry, BOC, Chevron, and Lukoil also signed a framework agreement allowing the field’s development contract to shift temporarily to BOC before being transferred to Chevron once negotiations are finalized and the terms of the new contract are agreed. The agreement grants Chevron one year of exclusive negotiations under mutually agreed standards. BOC had assumed control of West Qurna-2 nearly two months after Lukoil declared force majeure in response to U.S. sanctions on Russian energy firms. West Qurna-2 produces approximately 480,000 barrels per day and contains one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves. 

On February 23, the Iraqi Ministry of Communications instructed all internet service providers in the country to reinstate a 20% tax on subscription prices. The directive requires the companies to collect the tax directly from consumers. The ministry based its order on a government decision issued in late 2025 as part of the government’s efforts to boost state revenues. According to a leaked official document, companies were told to calculate the 20% tax and remit it to the General Company for Communications and Informatics. The document explicitly states that the deduction must be taken “from every active user, based on the package’s sale price,” with the decision taking effect as of February 23, 2026. The same tax was initially imposed in 2015 and was abolished by the Sudani government in 2022.

On February 23, KBR said it received a major contract from Basra Oil Company to provide “integrated field‑management services” for the Majnoon oil field, one of Iraq’s largest. The company will oversee engineering, operations, maintenance, and digital optimization to boost production and modernize facilities. The project includes subsurface and drilling support and is expected to employ about 2,000 Iraq‑based personnel. KBR says it will combine local teams with global engineering centers to support training, knowledge transfer, and the use of advanced technologies. KBR did not provide information about the contract’s value. Last October, Iraq’s Oil Ministry signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) document with ExxonMobil to help develop the country’s oil infrastructure that reportedly covered Majnoon, which was previously operated by Shell, and is estimated to hold as much as 38 billion barrels of oil. It is unclear how the two agreements are related.

On February 25, Iraq’s Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) published new data showing that crude oil exports during January totaled more than 107.616 million barrels, for an average of slightly more than 3.471 million barrels per day (bpd). The January exports were roughly unchanged compared to the levels SOMO reported for December. SOMO data said the exports generated $6.485 billion in revenue, an increase of about $97 million from December’s revenue of $6.388 billion. The bulk of the exports came from fields in southern and central Iraq and were exported through the ports of Basra. Meanwhile, an average of 208,250 bpd was also exported from fields in the Kurdistan region via Turkey, and volumes exported by trucks to Jordan, which usually average 10,000 bpd, dropped to zero in January. 

On February 26, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity said that Iran has restarted natural gas supplies to Iraq at a rate of seven million cubic meters per day, providing enough fuel to operate several idle power generation units in Baghdad and Diyala. Iranian gas exports to Iraq had been halted since late December because of an unspecified malfunction. The disruption resulted in the loss of 4,500 megawatts of electricity from the national grid as some power plants went offline, the Ministry said at the time. The current volume of supplies represents about a third of the average volume of gas that Iran provided to Iraq in 2024.

Sources cited in this section include: Iraq’s Oil Ministry, ISHM archive, Iraqi PM’s office, Iraq Observer, Kurdistan24, Shafaq, KBR, SOMO.

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.

Subscribe to our weekly ISHM and have the latest developments in Iraq sent straight to your inbox every Thursday and follow EPIC on Twitter to receive updates throughout the week.