This week’s headlines: Suicide Attacks Roil Baghdad ▪ Concern Over Forced IDP Returns Mounts Ahead of Election Date Decision ▪ KRG, Federal Government Begin Negotiations ▪ Federal Budget Still Without Consensus as Kurds Boycott Parliament ▪ Sporadic ISIS Attacks Linger, Despite Territorial Losses ▪ U.S. and Germany Lead Funding Ahead of Kuwait Pledging Conference ▪ U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq Unrelated to Combat

This week’s headlines: Violent Anti-Government Protests in the Kurdistan Region Result in Dozens of Casualties ▪ German Government Makes Aid Contingent on Resolution of Baghdad-Erbil Conflict ▪ Sistani Calls for PMUs to Merge with ISF; U.S. Troops in Iraq ‘Long-Term’ ▪ Mosul Civilian Casualty Counts Still Underestimated ▪ Minimum Wage Increased; Personal Status Law May Be Reintroduced Next Year

This week’s headlines: Abadi Declares “End of War Against ISIS” ▪ WSJ: Lack of Aid Funding Could Lead to Resurgence of ISIS ▪ KRG Continues Push for Dialogue with Baghdad ▪ Erdogan Organizes Meeting in Response to Trump’s Recognition of Jerusalem ▪ UN Concludes Oil-for-Food Program

This week’s headlines: Iraq Voices Opposition to Trump’s Plan to Move U.S. Embassy in Israel ▪ 3,000 ISIS Militants Still Operating in Iraq and Syria ▪ France’s Macron Meets with Barzani, Calls for an End to PMUs ▪ 2018 Budget Law Remains Under Debate ▪ Move to Privatize Electricity Distribution Met with Protests

This week’s headlines: President Masum Visits Kurdistan Region, Disputed Territories ▪ Kubis Briefs UN Security Council, Meets with Sistani ▪ British Prime Minister Visits Baghdad ▪ ISIS Claims Responsibility for Suicide Bombing Near Baghdad ▪ Military Operations Continue to Target ISIS in Western Anbar

This week’s headlines: Federal Supreme Court Annuls Referendum Results; Abadi May Be Open to More Funding for KRI ▪ Rawa Cleared of ISIS ▪ Vehicle Bomb Targets Tuz Khurmatu Market, 83 Casualties Reported ▪ NY Times: Airstrikes Killed More Civilians in Mosul than Reported ▪ Abadi Pledges Elections Will Be Held on Schedule, Despite Pushback from Ninewa MPs

This week’s headlines: ISIS Territory “Down to the Last One Percent” as Security Forces Move Toward Rawa ▪ Kurdistan Parliament Affirms Federal Court Ruling on Independence; KDP MPs Return to Baghdad ▪ Earthquake Hits Along Iran-Iraq Border ▪ Kirkuk KRG Office Relocates to Erbil; Ousted Governor’s Case Dismissed ▪ Iraqi Foreign Minister Visits Qatar

This week’s headlines: Abadi, Speaking in Qa’im, Declares City Cleared of ISIS Militants; Operations in Anbar Continue ▪ Suicide Attacks Roil Kirkuk; Sadr Orders PMU to Withdraw ▪ Federal Court Ruling, Budget Woes Further Erode KRG Leverage ▪ VP Nujaifi Sets Conditions for May Elections in Speech at USIP; Denies Report He Asked U.S. to Arm Sunni Militias ▪ ISIS Atrocities During Mosul Battle Detailed in UN Report

This week’s headlines: KRG President Barzani Steps Down as Kurdish Parties Clash ▪ Unaided by Rumors, ISF, Peshmerga Tensions Continue Over Border Control ▪ Date Fixed for National Elections ▪ Tillerson: U.S. Will Stay in Iraq Until ISIS is Defeated ▪ ISF Make Measured Progress in Western Anbar ▪ Amid Growing Need, World Bank Approves Aid Package; Ninewa Governor Ousted

This week’s headlines: Allegations and Rhetoric Confuse Situation as ISF Take Over Disputed Territories ▪ Reports of Casualties and Looting Amid ISF, Peshmerga Clashes ▪ Kurdish Elections ‘Suspended’ for Eight Months; Referendum Results ‘Frozen’ ▪ Abadi Dismisses Tillerson Comments on PMUs, Seeks Regional Cooperation ▪ ISF “Coming to Liberate You” in Anbar ▪ Lack of Planning in Mosul Causing “Chaos” as Funding Urgently Needed

This week’s headlines: Iraqi Security Forces, PMUs Move Quickly Into Disputed Territories ▪ Political Fallout Over Referendum Continues: Barzani Loses Leverage, Kirkuk Governor Ousted, Kurdish Elections Postponed ▪ Thousands of IDPs Move Through Disputed Territories Amid Unreliable Reporting ▪ U.S. Colonel Says There is “Work to Be Done” After ISIS is Cleared ▪ Extreme Hardship Remains in Western Mosul

This week’s headlines: Hawija Declared Cleared of ISIS as Most Militants Surrender to Peshmerga ▪ Dialogue Pushed as Next Steps in Easing Erbil-Baghdad Tensions ▪ Iran, Turkey Unite in Disdain for Kurdish Independence ▪ Diyala Security Situation Remains Tenuous as Focus Shifts ▪ Schools Reopen in Mosul; HRW Condemns Forced Detentions