Attachments
This week’s headlines:
-
Civil Unrest in Basra Province Continues, Protesters Storm and Set Fire to the Iranian Consulate – Violent protests continue in Basra Province, with demonstrators growing increasingly frustrated about the lack of services and safe drinking water, as well as widespread corruption. On September 7, Shafaaq News reported that 11 demonstrators have died since protests began on August 31, 2018 in the city of Basra. On September 7, protesters headed to the U.S. consulate in the city of Basra. According to Shafaaq News, demonstrators tried to break into the facility, but they were stopped by security forces, who cordoned off the building, and prevented anybody from getting closer. On September 7, protesters broke into the Iranian consulate in Basra and damaged offices within the building. According to anonymous security sources, the consulate was empty when demonstrators stormed it. On September 7, the Basra Operations Command announced the beginning of a citywide curfew in Basra. The announcement came at 9:00 pm local time, after the city witnessed more violence. The statement released by the Command reads that “security forces will arrest anyone present in the streets.” more…
-
Iran Strikes Kurdish Parties Headquarters in KRI, U.S. Blames Iraq for Using “Proxies” in Iraqi Territory - On September 8, an anonymous security source declared that Iran bombed the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) headquarters in Koyasinjaq, approximately 73 kilometers southeast of Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). On September 9, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for the September 8 attack on the KDPI and PDKI headquarters, which killed 11 people. On September 11, U.S. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Iran of not preventing Iranian-backed Shia militias from attacking U.S. institutions in Iraq, declaring that “America will respond swiftly and decisively in defense of American lives.” On September 12, Reuters reported U.S. Republican Senators’ intention to introduce legislation for limiting Iranian influence in Iraq. more…
-
Campaigning Begins for Upcoming Parliamentary Elections in the KRI, Kubis meets with Kurdish Political Leaders in Erbil - Political campaigning has started in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) where citizens are expected to vote on September 30, 2018 for a new parliament. On September 11, campaign spokesman for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Samir Hawrami announced the start to the parliamentary elections in the KRI. On September 11, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq Jan Kubis met with leaders of the PUK, the New Generation Movement, and the Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ) to discuss current security, political, and economic conditions in Iraq. On September 13, the PUK will hold a campaign rally in Ranya, KRI. more…
-
Federal Government Faces Criticism on Multiple Levels, Fatah Alliance Calls for PM Abadi’s Resignations - With unceasing violent protests in Basra Province, on September 7, Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Fatah Alliance, called for the resignation of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. On September 7, the spokesman for Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, criticized the current government for the failures to address the problems in Basra. On September 8, Member of Parliament (MP) and member of the Victory Alliance, Haider al-Fawadi hinted at a lack of optimism that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will win a second term. more…
-
Progress of UN Humanitarian Efforts in Iraq Under Threat, UNESCO Announces Reconstruction Plan for Mosul - On August 31, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released its August 2018 Humanitarian Bulletin for Iraq. According to OCHA, 8.7 million Iraqis are currently in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. Of those, OCHA’s Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is intended to reach 3.4 million vulnerable Iraqis. In the first five months of 2018, UN agencies and their humanitarian partners reached 1.3 million people with assistance. Over 65% of those reported activities were in Ninewa provinces, while less progress was reported in other provinces. As of August 31, the Iraq HRP is 61 percent funded, placing a growing number of urgent humanitarian projects under threat by funding gaps. On September 9, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the United Nations 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan in Mosul. On September 9, a report from Human Appeal, an NGO based in the United Kingdom (UK), outlined the current humanitarian challenges that plague neighborhoods in western Mosul. On September 10, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Director General, Audrey Azoulay, announced a plan to use the cultural agency as a way forward with reconstructing the city of Mosul. 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.