Key Takeaways:
- POLITICS: Reports Suggest Sudani’s Pact with Maliki That Led to Nomination Is Fracturing – On February 8, news reports suggested that the alliance between caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki—which led to Maliki’s emergence as the Coordination Framework’s (CF) prime ministerial candidate—has fractured. Political sources said Sudani has withdrawn his support for Maliki’s nomination and opened parallel negotiations with Shia factions opposed to his candidacy, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Hikma Movement. Relatedly, Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali visited Iran this week, reportedly seeking to convince Tehran to withdraw its support for Maliki. It remains unclear what the outcome of Khazali’s talks was. Political sources attributed the split to Maliki’s alleged withdrawal from a prior mutual-support agreement with Sudani. Sudani’s decision to step aside in favor of Maliki reportedly included an understanding that Maliki would back Sudani if he failed to secure sufficient support. Maliki’s controversial nomination has drawn only partial backing within the CF and strong opposition from most Sunni parties. It also prompted a vocal objection from President Donald Trump. Maliki’s State of Law coalition insisted this week that he does not intend to withdraw, claiming that support within the CF remains solid. In other developments, on February 11, an anticipated meeting between the leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) failed to break the political deadlock delaying the election of a new Iraqi president—the next critical step in government formation, which must precede the designation of a prime minister tasked with forming a cabinet. Also on February 11, representatives of the PUK and KDP called for appointing a Kurdish officer as chief of staff of the Iraqi armed forces, citing Kurdish underrepresentation in senior federal and military posts and arguing that the position should be considered part of Kurdish entitlements. more…
- SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iraqi Forces Intercept Suicide Bombers in Anbar; Mosque Attack Kills Two in Basra; Nearly 5,000 ISIS Detainees Moved to Iraq from Syria – On February 6, two suspected ISIS militants detonated suicide vests near members of Iraq’s National Security Service who had closed in to arrest them in the border district of al-Qaim. Several security personnel were injured in the explosions, which killed the two suspects. On February 7, unidentified gunmen attacked a mosque in al-Madina, north of Basra, killing two people and wounding five. The mosque belongs to a local leader of the Sheikhiyah branch of Shia Islam, and the attack is reportedly linked to rising tensions over leadership within the minority sect. On February 11, Iraqi Justice Minister Khalid Shwani said the transfer of approximately 7,000 suspected ISIS members from Syria to Iraq could be completed before the end of the week. News reports on Wednesday indicated that nearly 5,000 detainees had been transferred since January 21, citing Iraqi government sources. Between February 11 and 12, three incidents involving explosive remnants of war in Kirkuk, Salah ad-Din, and al-Muthanna provinces killed two civilians and wounded another. On February 12, the Syrian Defense Ministry said Syrian government forces had taken control of the al-Tanf base near the borders with Iraq and Jordan after U.S. forces evacuated the site. more…
- ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Strike, Controversial Tariffs Cripple Markets Across Iraq – On February 8, markets in Baghdad and several provinces closed as shop owners staged a general strike against higher import tariffs. Traders and customs clearance companies urged the government to revise policies they say have depressed commerce and driven up prices. Representatives claimed that up to 100,000 shipping containers were backed up at Umm Qasr port due to the new tariffs and demanded that rates be capped at 5%. The strike follows a revised tariff schedule introduced in January, raising duties on many goods to between 5% and 30%. The changes, along with implementation of the ASYCUDA customs system, have increased costs for traders who previously paid flat container-based fees. Authorities say ASYCUDA will curb misreporting, limit currency demand distortions, and reduce money laundering. Critics argue the policies hurt small businesses and low-income consumers, while the Customs Authority defends them as international best practices to improve compliance and boost revenue. In other developments, on February 9, a fire at the Salah ad-Din/2 refinery in Baiji killed one worker and injured 13 others before it was brought under control. On February 10, the KRG launched E-Psule, a government-backed digital payments platform that integrates several banks and e-wallets and is designed to simplify payments for government entities and the public, offering fast, secure, 24/7 transactions with no user fees or commissions. 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: Reports Suggest Sudani’s Pact with Maliki That Led to Nomination Is Fracturing
On February 8, a report by al-Aalem al-Jadeed, citing informed political sources, said the alliance between caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki within the Coordination Framework (CF) has fractured. According to the sources, Sudani has withdrawn his support for Maliki’s nomination and opened parallel negotiations with Shia factions opposed to his candidacy, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Hikma Movement. Relatedly, al-Mada reported that Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali visited Iran this week seeking to convince Tehran to withdraw its support for Maliki. It is unclear what the outcome of Khazali’s talks was. Political sources attributed the split to Maliki’s alleged withdrawal from a prior mutual-support agreement with Sudani. The caretaker prime minister’s decision last month to step aside in favor of Maliki reportedly included an understanding that Maliki would back Sudani if he failed to secure sufficient support. Maliki’s controversial nomination has drawn only partial backing within the CF and strong opposition from most Sunni parties. It also prompted a vocal objection from President Donald Trump, who called it “a very bad choice” and said Maliki “should not be allowed” to return to office. Maliki rejected Trump’s intervention, and his State of Law coalition insisted this week that he does not intend to withdraw, claiming that support within the CF remains solid despite external pressure.
On February 11, an anticipated meeting between the leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) failed to break the political deadlock delaying the election of a new Iraqi president. The meeting between Bafel Talabani and Masoud Barzani at Barzani’s headquarters in Pirmam was described as “positive,” but did not produce an agreement, according to a PUK spokesperson. Electing a president is the next critical step in government formation and must precede the designation of a prime minister tasked with forming a cabinet. The presidency has traditionally been held by the PUK—a monopoly the KDP seeks to challenge, arguing that the post should go to the party with the most parliamentary seats, which it holds. The leading contenders are former Environment Minister Nizar Amedi (PUK) and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (KDP). The two-hour meeting between Barzani and Talabani also discussed the closely-connected process of forming a new government in the Kurdistan region, which has been stalled for 16 months since the region held its last parliamentary election in October 2024.
On February 11, representatives of the two main Kurdish parties, the PUK and KDP, called for appointing a Kurdish officer as chief of staff of the Iraqi armed forces. They cited what they described as an imbalance in senior federal appointments, arguing that Kurds are significantly underrepresented, particularly within the military. The lawmakers said the chief of staff post should be considered part of the Kurds’ political entitlements. A Kurdish general, Babakir Zebari, held the position for more than a decade in the post-2003 Iraqi army before being retired in 2015 by then–Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as part of military reforms during the war against ISIS. He was succeeded by Generals Othman al-Ghanimi and Abdulamir Yarallah, both from the Shia community.
Sources cited in this section include: al-Mada, al-Aalem al-Jadeed, ISHM archive, social media, Rudaw, Kurdistan24, al-Ghad.
SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iraqi Forces Intercept Suicide Bombers in Anbar; Mosque Attack Kills Two in Basra; Nearly 5,000 ISIS Detainees Moved to Iraq from Syria
On February 6, the Iraqi military said that F-16 jets struck two hideouts used by suspected ISIS militants in a desert region along the borders between Ninewa and Salah ad-Din provinces. The strike destroyed the two positions and killed a group of four suspected ISIS fighters who were inside, the military said.
On February 6, two suspected ISIS militants detonated their suicide explosive vests near members of Iraq’s National Security Service who had closed in on the suspects to arrest them, a spokesman for the Service said. The incident occurred in the village of al-Khasim in the border district of al-Qaim, according to local officials. Several members of the Iraqi security forces were injured as a result of the explosions, which killed the two suspects.
On February 7, security sources in Basra province said that unidentified gunmen attacked a mosque in the northern district of al-Madina, killing two people and wounding five. The targeted mosque of Sheikh Mujtaba belongs to a local leader of the Sheikhiyah branch of Shia Islam, the sources added. Three days later, another mosque affiliated with the same religious leader was attacked with a stun grenade. The second incident, which also took place in al-Madina, did not result in casualties. The violence is reportedly linked to rising tensions over leadership within the minority branch of Shiism.
On February 11, Iraqi Justice Minister Khalid Shwani said the process of transferring some 7,000 suspected ISIS members from Syria to Iraq could be completed before the end of this week. News reports on Wednesday indicated that nearly 5,000 detainees had been transferred to Iraq since January 21, citing figures provided by Iraqi government sources. All of the detainees transferred to Iraq, who hail from more than 60 different nationalities, are being taken to one prison in Baghdad, Shwani explained, without naming the specific facility in question. A military spokesman for Prime Minister Sudani offered a slightly different account on Thursday, putting the number of transferred detainees at 4,500. The spokesman, Sabah al-Numan, also suggested the detainees are being housed at multiple prison facilities, not just one. Last week, the Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad said it began interrogating the detainees who started arriving in Iraq on January 21 under a plan supported by the International Coalition.
On February 11, security sources in Kirkuk province said that a civilian was killed when an explosive remnant of war detonated in the village of Jestan near the Sargaran subdistrict in northwest Kirkuk. To the southeast, a 16-year old boy was killed when another explosive remnant of war detonated in the village of Zaklaban, near Tuzkhormatu in Salah ad-Din province. On the following day, a third remnant of war exploded in the desert outside the al-Salman district of Muthanna province, wounding a young man.
On February 12, the Syrian Defense Ministry said that Syrian government forces have taken over al-Tanf base near the borders with Iraq and Jordan after U.S. forces evacuated the site. Syrian border guards will assume responsibility for border security in the area in the coming days, the ministry added. The strategically located base at al-Tanf was a frequent target of drone and missile attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi militias during 2024.
Sources cited in this section include: INA, Rudaw, al-Sumaria, Shafaq, al-Ghad, ISHM archive, al-Mirbad, Asharq al-Awsat.
ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Strike, Controversial Tariffs Cripple Markets Across Iraq
On February 8, markets were largely closed in Baghdad and other provinces as shop owners declared a general strike to protest government decisions to raise import tariffs. Baghdad also saw demonstrations by traders and the owners of customs clearance companies who called on the government to reconsider the tariff policies they blamed for depressed commerce and rising prices. Representatives of the striking traders complained that numerous shipping containers (allegedly as many as 100,000) carrying their goods were piling up at the Umm Qasr port because of the higher tariffs. The Baghdad Chamber of Commerce said the strike would continue until all shipping containers are allowed to clear customs and the government meets traders demands to reduce tariffs to no more than 5%. The developments come after a new tariff schedule, initially announced last summer, came into effect in January. The government’s move raised tariffs on many classes of goods to rates ranging from 5% to as high as 30%. The higher tariffs, combined with activation of the ASYCUDA system (stands for Automated System for Customs Data), which Iraq began introducing last year, have increased costs for traders who previously paid flat rate tariffs on shipping containers regardless of the actual contents being imported. Authorities also expect the ASYCUDA system to prevent misreporting of import items and cost inflation that artificially raise demand on foreign currency and offer opportunities for money laundering operations. The traders and critics argue that the government’s tariff policies are hurting small businesses and low-income consumers. The Customs Authority defended the new policies as international best practices that can reduce waste, and improve compliance and government revenue. The new tariff schedule and ASYCUDA system are not yet in place at border crossings managed by the KRG as negotiations continue with federal authorities about their integration.
On February 9, a fire erupted at the Salah ad-Din/2 refinery, which is part of the Baiji refinery complex in Salah ad-Din province. The fire was caused by a malfunction that impacted a compressor, Iraq’s Oil Ministry explained. One worker was killed as a result of the incident and 13 others were injured as well, the ministry added. The fire was brought under control within less than an hour, according to the statement.
On February 10, the federal government sent a sum of IQD 931.2 billion to the Kurdistan regional government (KRG) to pay the salaries of Kurdistan’s public sector employees for the month of January, the KRG Finance Ministry said. The payment was approved after the KRG sent the federal government IQD 120 billion (approximately $91 million) as remittance for non-petroleum revenue generated during the corresponding month, in accordance with the budget agreement that Baghdad and Erbil announced last July. Government sources said salaries for November and December 2025, which have not been paid yet, remain “frozen” until authorities in Baghdad finish reconciling past payments and remittances. Additionally, the KRG Finance Ministry, said the January payment had a deficit of more than IQD 36 billion, arguing that Baghdad neglected to include entitlements for more than 8,000 public servants who retired throughout 2025.
On February 10, the KRG said it launched E-Psule, a government-backed digital payments platform, at a ceremony attended by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Central Bank of Iraq Governor Ali Allaq. The system integrates several banks and e-wallets and allows citizens to pay bills electronically, according to Barzani, and is meant to simplify payments for both government entities and the public and offer fast, secure, 24/7 transactions with no fees or commissions for users. Speaking at the launch, Allaq welcomed the initiative, describing the digitization of payment systems as a cornerstone of Iraq’s economic and financial reform, and stressing that its success requires sustained coordination between the federal government and the KRG. According to officials, E-Psule currently allows users to pay their electricity bills, including accumulated arrears, with plans to expand to additional sectors. Participating institutions include Cihan Bank, First Iraqi Bank, and the National Bank of Iraq, as well as digital wallets such as Fastpay, AsiaPay, and Nass Wallet, with more financial institutions expected to join in later phases.
On February 11, the Director General of Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) said the company is studying mechanisms to shift from a traditional sales model to a trading model aiming to maximize oil revenues and expand marketing operations beyond Iraqi ports. The director, Ali al-Shatri, added that SOMO is seeking partnerships with established international energy trading firms, including recent negotiations with ExxonMobil for an advanced commercial partnership. The goal, according to Shatri, is to strengthen SOMO’s capabilities, develop its staff, and build a marketing and trading arm able to respond to global market dynamics and seize emerging opportunities.
Sources cited in this section include: Ultra Iraq, AP, ISHM archive, Rudaw, Baghdad Today, Iraq’s Oil Ministry, al-Sumaria, INA, Peregraf.
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.