Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Central Bank Freezes Assets of 12 Politicians on Corruption Charges; Militia Leader Acknowledges Role in Suppressing 2019 Popular Protests – On August 28, Iraq’s Central Bank (CBI) instructed banks, financial institutions, and relevant government agencies to freeze the assets of 12 current and former lawmakers and a senior government adviser who were arrested in June in connection with anti-corruption cases. Meanwhile, an Iraqi court sentenced Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Ali Maarij and former lawmaker Talal al-Zobaie, who were also arrested in June, to seven years in prison after finding them guilty of illegally enriching themselves. On August 31, Badr leader Hadi al-Amiri made remarks in which he appeared to acknowledge the direct involvement of Iran-backed militia groups in acts of violence against civilians during the 2019 Tishreen protests, when hundreds of protesters were killed. Addressing a crowd of Badr supporters, Amiri praised the “Resistance that stood bravely against the Tishreen fitna [strife] and preserved the state and political system.” The remarks drew angry reactions from Iraqi civil society, with rights defenders and relatives of fallen protesters saying they would file lawsuits against Amiri and demanding renewed investigations into militia involvement in atrocities against protesters. On August 28, the U.S. Department of State said it had revoked the visa of Iraq’s former Finance Minister, Taif Sami, following her placement on the FBI’s terror watchlist. On September 1, the Dhi-Qar Provincial Council elected Haider Ghani Hanoun as governor following the resignation of former Governor Haitham al-Hamdani. On September 2, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad announced that Ambassador Steven Fagin will return to Iraq as the new Chargé d’Affaires, replacing outgoing Chargé d’Affaires Joshua Harris. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Kidnapper of U.S. Journalist Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison; Militia Threatens to Kill U.S. Soldiers Who Remain After September 30 – On August 31, an Iraqi court sentenced a key suspect in the March 31 kidnapping of American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson to 15 years in prison. The convict was identified in court documents circulating online as Ameer Raheem Jabbar Lazim. Kittleson was freed on April 7 after a week in captivity in a prisoner swap reportedly involving the release of Kataib Hezbollah members implicated in attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and neighboring countries. The deal, and Kataib Hezbollah’s involvement in the kidnapping, was confirmed by a spokesman for the militia. This week, a criminal court in Baghdad also sentenced three men to 15 years in prison for firing rockets at the K-1 military base near Kirkuk in March. The defendants, whose affiliations remain unclear, were sentenced under Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Law. On September 2, Akram al-Kabi, leader of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, threatened to kill any U.S. soldiers who remain in Iraq beyond the planned withdrawal date of September 30. In an online statement containing insults directed at the U.S. president, Kabi said his group was watching the approaching deadline “with full readiness and preparedness to wage a decisive battle” against U.S. forces if they failed to meet their commitment to fully withdraw from Iraqi territory and airspace. In other developments, on August 31, the U.S. Department of State said that Washington had approved a possible deal under which the Iraqi military may acquire an unspecified number of American-made Bell 407M and Bell 412EPX helicopters. On September 1, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council announced that it had completed the investigation phase for 5,704 suspected ISIS members transferred from Syria earlier this year and had begun referring them in batches to trial courts. On September 2, Global Coalition forces shot down 10 one-way attack drones over Erbil. On September 3, the Popular Mobilization Forces said that one of its fighters was killed and another wounded in an attack on their checkpoint in the Altun-Kupri subdistrict of Kirkuk. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Increased Euphrates Flow Boosts Water Reserves; Government Allocates Land for Large-Scale Housing Initiative – On August 30, Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources said water releases from Syria into Iraq through the Euphrates River had increased to 680 cubic meters per second (m³/s), a fourfold increase from 151 m³/s during the same period in 2025, which was characterized by severe drought. A ministry spokesman said releases from Haditha Dam in western Anbar toward the central Euphrates provinces had also increased to about 500 m³/s, compared with 325 m³/s during the same period last year, although the ministry is currently retaining about 180 m³/s in the dam to boost reserves. The spokesman, however, noted that flows remain below the level needed to allocate some water to refilling Lake Habbaniyah, which has lost most of its surface area in recent years. On September 2, the Iraqi government said it had prepared 216,000 residential plots in six provinces as part of preparations to implement an initiative to provide one million residential plots with supporting infrastructure. A digital platform for receiving applications from eligible citizens in those provinces is expected to launch next month. The government said it had developed new financing models to ensure the initiative’s sustainability, including cooperation with Iraqi businesspeople and investors willing to contribute through donations or by helping finance infrastructure projects. In other developments, on September 1, the Iraqi government said it would provide additional rations of subsidized diesel fuel to privately owned power generators throughout September to help cope with summertime power shortages. 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: Central Bank Freezes Assets of 12 Politicians on Corruption Charges; Militia Leader Acknowledges Role in Suppressing 2019 Popular Protests

On August 28, the U.S. Department of State said it had revoked the visa of Iraq’s former Finance Minister, Taif Sami. In a statement, the State Department said the decision followed Sami’s placement on the FBI’s terror watchlist. The statement did not provide details on any specific terrorism allegations involving the former Iraqi minister, who received the International Woman of Courage Award from the Biden administration in 2022.

On August 28, Iraq’s Central Bank (CBI) instructed all banks, financial institutions, and relevant government agencies to freeze the assets of 12 political figures—including current and former members of parliament and a former senior government adviser—who were recently arrested in connection with anti-corruption cases. According to a CBI letter dated August 26, the individuals targeted by the asset freeze include Muthanna al-Samarraie, Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie, Baha al-Nouri, Ziyad al-Janabi, Abdulrahman Hassan al-Khalid, Mohammed Farman al-Jubouri, Hind al-Abbasi, Bushra Rajab al-Qaisi, Mudhar Maan al-Karwi, Ashwaq Salim al-Jubouri, Aliyah Nsayif Jasim, and Mohammed al-Sayhoud. In related news, the Iraqi government said its anti-corruption campaign had so far resulted in the recovery of $160 million and IQD 380 billion in cash, along with 402 kilograms of gold. Meanwhile, the Integrity Commission said on Sunday that an Iraqi court had sentenced Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Ali Maarij and former lawmaker Talal al-Zobaie, who were also arrested in June, to seven years in prison after finding them guilty of illegally enriching themselves. The court also ordered Zobaie and Maarij to pay the state IQD 70 billion and IQD 53 billion, respectively, in compensation and fines.

On August 31, Badr leader Hadi al-Amiri made remarks in which he appeared to acknowledge the direct involvement of Iran-backed militia groups in acts of violence against civilians during the 2019 Tishreen protests, when hundreds of protesters were killed. Addressing a crowd of Badr supporters, Amiri praised the “Resistance that stood bravely against the Tishreen fitna [strife] and preserved the state and political system.” The remarks drew angry reactions from Iraqi civil society, with rights defenders and relatives of fallen protesters saying they will file lawsuits against Amiri and demanding renewed investigations into militia involvement in atrocities against protesters.

On September 1, the Dhi-Qar Provincial Council voted to accept the resignation of Governor Haitham al-Hamdani, according to local sources and council meeting minutes circulating online. Hamdani, who has served as governor since January 2025, said in a statement that he submitted his resignation for health reasons. On the same day, the provincial council elected Haider Ghani Hanoun to replace Hamdani. The new governor comes from the same bloc as the outgoing Hamdani, the Hikma Party of Ammar al-Hakeem.

On September 2, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad announced that Ambassador Steven Fagin will return to Iraq as the new Chargé d’Affaires. Fagin, who was previously Washington’s ambassador to Yemen, council general in Erbil, and deputy chief of mission in Baghdad, replaced the outgoing Joshua Harris, who had been Chargé d’Affaires in Baghdad since September 2025. 

Sources cited in this section include: State Department, Shafaq, ISHM archive, INA, Peregraf, social media, Rudaw, al-Sumaria, +964, Ultra Iraq.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Kidnapper of U.S. Journalist Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison; Militia Threatens to Kill U.S. Soldiers Who Remain After September 30

On August 31, an Iraqi court sentenced a key suspect in the March 31 kidnapping of American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson to 15 years in prison. The convict was identified in court documents circulating online as Ameer Raheem Jabbar Lazim. Kittleson was freed on April 7 after a week in captivity in a prisoner swap reportedly involving the release of Kataib Hezbollah members implicated in attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and neighboring countries. The deal, and Kataib Hezbollah’s involvement in the kidnapping, was confirmed by a spokesman for the militia. This week, a criminal court in Baghdad also sentenced three men to 15 years in prison for firing rockets at the K-1 military base near Kirkuk in March. The defendants, whose affiliations remain unclear, were sentenced under Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Law. 

On August 31, the U.S. Department of State said that Washington has approved a possible deal under which the Iraqi military may acquire an unspecified number of American-made Bell 407M and Bell 412EPX helicopters. The deal would also include weapons, sensors, protection systems, and communications equipment, along with spare parts and training for pilots and maintenance crews. 

On August 31, Halabja police said that two people were killed when an explosive remnant of war detonated inside a house in Kani Marani village in the province. Police said the explosion was caused by an old artillery shell, and that security forces had opened an investigation to determine its origin and the circumstances of the incident.

On September 1, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) announced it has completed the investigation phase for 5,704 suspected ISIS members transferred from Syria earlier this year, and has begun referring them in batches to trial courts. According to an SJC statement, the inquiry identified several high‑risk individuals who held leadership, security, or media roles within ISIS, including suspects linked to major crimes against the Yazidi community. The SJC said insufficient evidence led to the release of several detainees, including the repatriation of a Finnish and an American national to their respective governments, and the release of seven Iraqi detainees. Judicial authorities are also preparing to release 457 Syrian nationals for transfer back to Syria after determining that evidence did not warrant continued legal action. The Council emphasized that investigations were conducted with legal and humanitarian safeguards, including court‑appointed lawyers, medical care provided by the Ministry of Health, regular visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and facilitated communication with families. Diplomatic and consular missions were also permitted to visit their nationals.

On September 2, Global Coalition forces shot down ten one-way attack drones over Erbil during an attack that lasted more than two hours, the Kurdistan Region’s counter-terrorism service said in a statement. There were no reports of casualties as a result of the attack, the statement added, without mentioning the origin of the attack, which comes amid new escalation in fighting between the U.S. and Iran. 

On September 2, Akram al-Kabi, leader of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, threatened to kill any U.S. soldiers who remain in Iraq beyond the planned withdrawal date of September 30. In an online statement containing insults directed at the U.S. president, Kabi said his group was watching the approaching deadline “with full readiness and preparedness to wage a decisive battle” against U.S. forces if they failed to meet their commitment to fully withdraw from Iraqi territory and airspace.

On September 3, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said that one of its fighters was killed and another wounded in an attack on their checkpoint in the Altun-Kupri subdistrict of Kirkuk Province. Local police sources said the attack was carried out by two gunmen on a motorcycle who opened fire with automatic weapons.

Sources cited in this section include: Ultra Iraq, ISHM archive, Iraq Observer, Anadolu, INA, Kurdistan24, Rudaw, social media, Bas News, al-Sumaria. 

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Increased Euphrates Flow Boosts Water Reserves; Government Allocates Land for Large-Scale Housing Initiative

On August 30, Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources said water releases from Syria into Iraq through the Euphrates River had increased to 680 cubic meters per second (m³/s), a fourfold increase from 151 m³/s during the same period in 2025. Ministry spokesman Khalid Shimal said releases from Haditha Dam in western Anbar toward the central Euphrates provinces had also increased to about 500 m³/s, compared with 325 m³/s during the same period last year, although the ministry is currently retaining about 180 m³/s in the dam to boost reserves. The spokesman, however, noted that flows remain below the level needed to allocate some water to refilling Lake Habbaniyah, which has lost most of its surface area in recent years.

On September 1, the Iraqi government said it will provide diesel fuel to privately owned power generators at a subsidized price of IQD400 per liter throughout September. Each generator will receive 40 liters per month for every kilovolt-ampere (kVA) of generation capacity, according to a government statement. Generator operators must commit to providing customers with enough hours of electricity each day to ensure a minimum of 20 hours of combined power from private generators and the national grid. The government routinely provides subsidized, even free, fuel to privately owned generators to help fill power supply gaps during periods of high demand or disruptions affecting gas and electricity imports from Iran.

On September 2, the Iraqi government said it had prepared 216,000 residential plots in six provinces as part of preparations to implement an initiative to provide one million residential plots with supporting infrastructure. A statement from the prime minister’s office said implementation would begin in the provinces where land preparation has been completed in the coming days, while a digital platform for receiving applications from eligible citizens is expected to launch next month. The government said it had developed new financing models to ensure the initiative’s sustainability, including cooperation with Iraqi businesspeople and investors willing to contribute through donations or by helping finance infrastructure projects. The government reiterated its commitment to implementing the initiative across Iraq and reducing informal housing, particularly for low-income and disadvantaged groups.

Sources cited in this section include: Iraq Observer, Iraqi PM’s office, al-Sumaria, ISHM archive, INA.

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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