Iraq: ISHM 223: September 26 - October 3, 2019
Key Takeaways:
Iraq’s Top Counter-Terrorism Commander Sacked; Iraq Officially Blames Airstrikes On Israel; Government Uses Force To Suppress Widespread Demonstrations, Killing 21, Injuring Hundreds – On September 27, PM Abdul-Mahdi removed Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi from his position as commander of the Counter Terrorism Services (CTS) amid wide expressions of solidarity with the general and speculations of militia pressure and corruption within the CTS. On September 30, PM Abdul-Mahdi said investigations proved Israel was responsible for several airstrikes on PMF bases in July and August. Senior members of PMF factions close to Iran called the announcement a “green light” to retaliate against Israel. On October 1, thousands of Iraqis took to the streets in Baghdad and several other provinces to protest government corruption, unemployment and to demand basic services. Government forces used tear gas, rubber bullets and live fire to disperse protesters, killing more than 21 and wounding over 800 nationwide. more…
Seven IEDs Strike In Ninewa, Diyala And Babylon; ISF, Coalition Airstrikes Kill At Least 35 ISIS Militants; Turkey Resumes Anti-PKK Operations – On September 27, an IED wounded two civilians in Hamam al-Alil in Ninewa. On September 28, an IED injured two farmers near Jalawla in Diyala. On September 29, an IED wounded two members of the tribal mobilization forces in al-Shoura subdistrict in Ninewa. On September 30, an IED injured two PMF members in Jurf al-Sakhar subdistrict in Babylon. On October 2, an IED killed one member of the tribal mobilization forces in al-Shoura subdistrict in Ninewa. On September 28, ISF troops and air power killed 12 ISIS in the desert between Anbar and Salah ad-Din. On September 28, coalition airstrikes killed eight ISIS members and destroyed four weapons caches west of Tikrit in Salah ad-Din. On October 2, a coalition airstrike killed ten ISIS members in Kirkuk’s Hawija district. On October 2, ISF troops and air power killed five ISIS members in the Himrin mountains in Salah ad-Din. On October 1-2, Turkish airstrikes killed at least nine PKK members in the KRI. more…
HRW Report Documents Torture In Iraqi Trials; Calls For More Funds To Relieve Crowding In Prisons; Lawmakers Demand Access To Jurf Al-Sakhar To Investigate Illegal Prisons – On September 25, HRW published a report detailing 24 alleged cases where Iraqi judges failed to investigate the use of torture to extract forced confessions from defendants. On September 20, the parliamentary Human Rights Committee asked the government to allocate more funds in the federal budget to build new prisons and relieve overcrowding in existing facilities. On September 30, representatives from several groups in Parliament collected signatures to pass a resolution to allow parliamentarians and journalists to enter the Jurf al-Sakhar subdistrict in Babylon province. The representatives want to investigate reports of illegal detention centers, holding an estimated 3,000 prisoners, run by militias in the area. On October 3, the KRG Minister of Labor and Social Affairs announced plans to build a new center for people with disabilities to allow them to register to receive disability benefits. more…
Iranian Banks To Open Seven New Branches In Iraq; Oil Ministry Says New Karbala Refinery Is 76% Complete; Iraq To Cultivate 4 Million Additional Dunams – On September 30, a private Iranian bank issued licenses to open seven new branches throughout Iraq to support Iranian exports to and finance projects by Iranian engineering and construction companies. On September 30, Iraq’s Ministry of Oil announced that construction of the Karbala refinery is 76% complete and expected facility to become fully functional in 2022. On October 2, Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture said it plans to add four million dunams of cultivable farmland across Iraq to plant a total of 16 million dunams (approximately 4 million acres) with strategic crops. 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.
