Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Sadr Offers to Place His Militia Under Government Control Within a Week – On May 27, Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced the “complete separation” of his Saraya al-Salam militia from his political organization and its “full attachment” to the state and the commander-in-chief. Sadr’s announcement, which is not the first of its kind, came less than three weeks after he called for all armed factions to be transformed into humanitarian and relief organizations, saying groups that refuse should be considered outside the law. At the time, Sadr said that if other factions complied, he would dissolve his Promised Day Brigade and place Saraya al-Salam under the authority of the commander-in-chief. Wednesday’s announcement, however, did not include the Promised Day Brigade, considered Sadr’s elite paramilitary unit. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi welcomed the move, calling it an important initiative in support of state institutions, the rule of law, and the state’s exclusive right to control weapons. Zaidi also urged “all armed factions” to follow Sadr’s example. A document circulating online and attributed to Sadr suggests he instructed his aides to work with government authorities to complete the integration process within one week. Sadr’s move comes amid reports that five militia groups, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataib al-Imam Ali, and Badr, support handing over their heavy weapons to the government in order to accommodate Washington’s demands to curb the power of Iran-backed armed factions. Groups that remain strongly opposed to relinquishing their heavy weapons include Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kataib Sayyid al-Shahada. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Senior Militia Commander Killed in Maysan Bomb Explosion – On May 29, a senior militia commander was killed when a bomb planted on his vehicle exploded in eastern Amara. Another passenger in the vehicle, identified as one of the victim’s subordinates, was seriously wounded in the blast. The victim was identified as Uday Mohsin Jabbar al-Hilfi (aka Sheikh Dhafir), a senior commander in the Ansar Allah al-Awfiya militia, PMF brigade 19. No group has claimed responsibility. In other developments, between May 24 – 25, the explosions of three remnants of war in Ninewa, Maysan, and Salah ad-Din killed five Iraqis and wounded at least six others. Most of the victims were army soldiers and PMF fighters. Between May 23 – 27, the Iraqi military launched airstrikes and ground operations in Kirkuk province, killing several suspected ISIS militants and destroying their hideouts. On May 25, a rocket likely fired by Iran struck a camp belonging to the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), an Iranian Kurdish opposition group based in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The attack reportedly injured several people. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Rising Euphrates Waters Prompt Flood Warnings in Syria and Iraq; Baghdad Prints Dinars to Meet Spending Needs – On May 22, news reports said Turkey had opened the spillway gates of the massive Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates River for the first time in seven years. The move became necessary after the dam reached maximum capacity following a season of heavy rainfall and snowfall. The release significantly increased downstream water flows, prompting Syrian authorities to release water from the Tabaqa Dam at a rate of 1,800 cubic meters per second—nearly six times the volume Iraq had hoped to secure through negotiations with its neighbors during last year’s drought. The rising water levels have raised concerns about flooding, prompting authorities in Syria to urge residents living along the Euphrates to evacuate until the danger passes. Officials in Iraq’s Anbar province also issued a 72-hour flood warning. On May 26, a government financial adviser said Iraq is relying on limited money printing as a key tool to support financial and monetary stability amid the ongoing economic crisis caused by disruptions to oil exports. The adviser, Mudhar Mohammed Salih, said currency issuance is being carefully managed to preserve monetary stability, adding that the Central Bank’s foreign currency reserves remain above the “red line.” According to Salih, the situation may require Iraq to seek foreign loans to boost dollar reserves and avoid devaluing the Iraqi dinar. Last week, news reports indicated that Iraq had approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about obtaining financial assistance to cope with declining revenues resulting from the Iran conflict. In other developments, the head of Iraq’s Border Ports Commission said the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had signed an agreement to adopt a unified tariff code and implement the ASYCUDA customs system at border crossings in the Kurdistan region. Meanwhile, Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture said wheat production this season is expected to reach five million tons, allowing the country to remain self-sufficient in wheat production for the fourth consecutive year. 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: Sadr Offers to Place His Militia Under Government Control Within a Week

On May 27, Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced the “complete separation” of his Saraya al-Salam militia from his political organization and its “full attachment” to the state and the commander-in-chief. Sadr’s announcement, which is not the first of its kind, came less than three weeks after he called for all armed factions in Iraq to be transformed into humanitarian and relief organizations, saying groups that refuse should be considered outside the law. At the time, Sadr said that if other factions complied, he would be prepared to dissolve his affiliated Promised Day Brigade and place Saraya al-Salam under the authority of the commander-in-chief, urging all sides to take similar steps quickly. Wednesday’s announcement, however, did not appear to include the Promised Day Brigade, which is considered Sadr’s elite paramilitary unit. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi welcomed the move, calling it an important initiative in support of state institutions, the rule of law, and the state’s exclusive right to control weapons. Zaidi also urged “all armed factions to follow the same responsible national path and operate under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions in order to safeguard Iraq, preserve its sovereignty, and strengthen security and stability,” according to a statement from his office. A document circulating online that’s been attributed to Sadr suggests he instructed his top aides to work with government authorities to complete the integration process within one week. Sadr’s move comes amid reports that five militia groups, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataib al-Imam Ali, and Badr, are in favor of handing over their heavy weapons to the government in order to accommodate Washington’s demands to curb the power of Iran-backed armed factions. Groups that remain vehemently opposed to relinquishing their heavy weapons include Katqaib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kataib Sayyid al-Shahada.

Sources cited in this section include: al-Sumaria, social media, ISHM archive, Ultra Iraq, Asharq al-Awsat, Shafaq.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Senior Militia Commander Killed in Maysan Bomb Explosion

On May 22, security sources in Maysan province said that armed clashes erupted between two tribes in the Rifai subdistrict, west of Amara. Three people were reportedly killed in the fighting, which involved the use of automatic weapons and machineguns, while at least five others were wounded. 

On May 23, the Iraqi military’s Joint Operations Command said that F-16 jets conducted two airstrikes against ISIS hideouts in the Wadi al-Shay region of Kirkuk province. The operations destroyed the targeted structures and killed three suspected ISIS militants. A fourth suspected militant was killed during subsequent armed reconnaissance of the area by army helicopters, the Command added. In a subsequent statement on Wednesday, Iraq’s Defense Ministry said that troops from the Iraqi army’s 11th division killed several ISIS militants and destroyed hideouts used as shelter and logistical support centers during further operations in Kirkuk. 

On May 24, Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service said that three of its soldiers were killed and four were wounded when a legacy improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near them while they were patrolling a desert region in al-Hadhar, southwest of Mosul. Meanwhile, security sources in Maysan province said that a young man was killed when an old land mine exploded in al-Teeb region along the border with Iran. On the following day, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said that one of its fighters was killed when a remnant of war, believed to be a mortar round, detonated while troops were clearing brush at a PMF base near Tikrit in Salah ad-Din province. Two other PMF fighters were also wounded in the explosion. 

On May 25, news reports citing local sources in Erbil said that a rocket struck a camp for the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), an Iranian Kurdish opposition group based in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The attack on the Dara Shakran camp reportedly injured several people.   

On May 29, security sources in Maysan province said that a senior militia commander was killed when a bomb planted on his vehicle exploded in eastern Amara. Another passenger in the vehicle, identified as one of the victim’s subordinates, was seriously wounded in the blast. The victim was identified as Uday Mohsin Jabbar al-Hilfi (aka Sheikh Dhafir), a senior commander in the Ansar Allah al-Awfiya militia, PMF brigade 19.

Sources cited in this section include: Shafaq, INA, Mawazin, Baghdad Today, social media.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Rising Euphrates Waters Prompt Flood Warnings in Syria and Iraq; Baghdad Prints Dinars to Meet Spending Needs

On May 22, Kurdistan24 reported, citing Turkish water officials, that Turkey had opened the spillway gates of the massive Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates River for the first time in seven years. Authorities said the release was necessary after the 184-meter-high dam reached maximum capacity following a season of heavy rainfall and snowfall. The move significantly increased downstream water flows, prompting authorities in Syria to release water from the Euphrates (Tabaqa) Dam in central Syria at a rate of 1,800 cubic meters per second this week. That rate is nearly six times the volume Iraq had hoped to secure through negotiations with its neighbors during last year’s drought. The rising water levels have raised concerns about flooding, prompting authorities in Syria to urge residents living along the Euphrates to evacuate until the danger passes. Officials in Iraq’s Anbar province also issued a 72-hour flood warning.

On May 26, Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mahdi al-Jubouri, said the Ministry expects wheat production this season to reach five million tons. According to Jubouri, this would allow the country to be self-sufficient in wheat production for the fourth year in a row. Previous reporting indicates that Iraq produced 5.2 million tons in 2023, 6 million tons in 2024, and 5.12 million tons in 2025. Last week, Iraq’s Trade Ministry said that wheat farmers across central and southern provinces have delivered approximately 1.38 million tons of grain since the beginning of the harvest season, which usually lasts well into July. 

On May 26, a government financial adviser said Iraq is relying on a cautious policy of quantitative easing, including limited money printing, as a key tool to support financial and monetary stability amid the ongoing economic crisis caused by the disruption to oil exports. The adviser, Mudhar Mohammed Salih, said currency issuance is being carefully managed to preserve monetary stability, adding that the Central Bank’s foreign currency reserves remain above the “red line.” He noted that the government is attempting to balance the need to finance budgetary obligations with maintaining exchange rate stability. According to Salih, these pressures may require Iraq to seek foreign loans to boost dollar reserves and avoid devaluing the Iraqi dinar, which he described as an undesirable option. He added that any external borrowing would be a temporary measure aimed at preserving monetary stability until geopolitical conditions improve and Iraqi oil exports return to normal levels. Last week, news reports indicated that Iraq has approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about obtaining financial assistance to cope with declining revenues resulting from the Iran conflict.

On May 26, the head of Iraq’s Border Ports Commission, Omar al-Waeli, said the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had signed an agreement to adopt a unified tariff code and implement the ASYCUDA customs system at border crossings in the Kurdistan region. The issues, which had long been a point of contention between Baghdad and Erbil, were discussed during a meeting this week between Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. According to Waeli, KRG officials have shown a strong willingness to reach an understanding with the federal government. The announcement comes several weeks after Iraq’s Ministerial Council for the Economy approved the rollout of a unified customs tariff system at crossings in the Kurdistan region, while the KRG had also preliminarily agreed to implement the ASYCUDA system there.

Sources cited in this section include: Kurdistan24, ISHM archive, social media, The National, al-Sumaria, al-Ghad, al-Aalem al-Jadeed.

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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