Key Takeaways:
- Sadr Tells Maliki To Leave Politics As Leaked Recordings Reveal Civil War Threats; Baghdad Demands Turkish Withdrawal After Deadly Shelling – On July 17, Nouri al-Maliki said that audio recordings posted by an Iraqi commentator on Twitter in which Maliki allegedly attacked other political leaders and threatened violence were “fabrications.” The five clips were allegedly recorded at a meeting between Maliki and an obscure militia group called Kataib A’immat al-Baqi’. In the tapes, a voice that appears to be Maliki’s talks about an imminent civil war for which he must prepare armed groups, accuses PMF commanders of stealing, accuses Muqtada al-Sadr of being a murderer, thief, and a coward, and mentions a British conspiracy against the Shia in Iraq. On July 18, Muqtada al-Sadr responded with strongly worded message saying that Maliki must give up politics and “surrender himself and the corrupt people he shelters to the legal authorities.” Sadr also challenged Maliki’s political allies to publicly condemn him “to extinguish the strife.” Maliki’s Daw Party described the recordings as a “harbinger of strife,” adding that their release was planned by “secret agencies…that seek to turn Iraq into a battlefield.” On July 19, an Iraqi court opened an investigation about the recordings. On July 21, Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a letter to the Turkish ambassador condemning the “heinous crime by Turkish forces” and demanded that the withdrawal of Turkish forces after a Turkish attack killed and injured dozens of civilians. Meanwhile, demonstrators in several provinces demanded retaliatory action and burned Turkish flags. In other developments, on July 16, PM Kadhimi met with President Biden in Jeddah while the two leaders were attending a regional summit hosted by Saudi Arabia. more…
- Turkish Attack On A Resort Near Zakho Kills Nine Civilians; ISIS Attack Kills Six Federal Police Members – On July 20, several Turkish artillery shells hit Barakh, a tourist resort near the Zakho district of Duhok, killing nine civilians and wounding 23, including many women and children. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its embassy in Baghdad blamed the attack on the PKK. PM Kadhimi called the attack “a blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty,” adding that Iraq “reserves the full right to respond…and will take all necessary measures to protect its people.” On July 20, ISIS militants attacked an Iraqi federal police outpost in the al-Jilam region of Salah ad-Din. Security sources said the attack, which lasted nearly an hour, killed six members of the federal police and wounded another seven. In other developments, on July 17, a Turkish armed drone killed five suspected PKK members when it attacked a vehicle near Mosul. Between July 18 – 21, the explosions of four IEDs and one remnant of war in Diyala, Dhi-Qar, Babylon, and Salah ad-Din wounded at least seven Iraqis. On July 19, unidentified gunmen fired on the Dhi-Qar residence of a lawmaker affiliated with Nouri al-Maliki. more…
- FAO Urges Action To Support Marsh Communities Amid Water Scarcity; Latest COVID-19 Wave Tapers Off – On July 14, the FAO in Iraq warned that Iraqi authorities must take urgent action to support vulnerable communities in the southern marshes after a recent mission highlighted “unprecedented low water levels…threatening their livelihoods and communal existence.” FAO called for immediate but “consistent support” to these communities, especially buffalo producers, in the form of water storage solutions, animal feed, and fuel for their boats, without which, “the farmers who lived there for generations will ultimately have to abandon their lands forever.” On July 21, Iraq’s Health Ministry said the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 2,421,716, an increase of 25,009 from the 2,396,707 reported on July 14. Hospitalization levels were relatively unchanged, and the daily average for new cases increased slightly to 3,573/day during the last seven days from 3,237/day during the previous reporting period. The number of people who received the COVID-19 vaccine reached 10,946,529 including 14,852 who received their shots on July 21. more…
- Iraq Signs Deal To Import Electricity From Saudi Arabia; The New Karbala Refinery To Begin Testing Operations In October – On July 15, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed two agreements to provide Iraq with electricity from Saudi Arabia and from other Gulf states through the kingdom. Iraq’s Minister of Electricity said the grid connections would initially provide 500 megawatts. On July 18, Iraq’s Oil Minister said that Iraq will start sending crude oil to the new Karbala refinery by October to commence testing operations at the facility, which is built to process 140,000 bpd of crude oil. In other developments, on July 18, a new report by Deloitte about the Kurdistan region’s oil exports said the region sold just over 39 million barrels during the first quarter of 2022, generating gross revenue of $3.02 billion at an average price of $86.7 per barrel. On July 19, a new UNICEF report indicated that almost 60% of the young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in Iraq lack the digital skills needed “to perform basic computer-related activities.” The report also found that these young people can’t easily access other “entrepreneurial skills” they need to enter the labor market. 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.