Iraq: ISHM: February 20 - February 27, 2020
Key Takeaways:
Sunni, Kurdish Parties Object To Allawi’s Handling Of Government Formation; Allawi Presents Program; Sadr Attacks Political Rivals, Threatens To Mobilize Militia; PMF Select New Chief; Parliament Fails To Vote On Allawi’s Government – On February 21, a senior member of the Sunni coalition led by Speaker Halbousi said the group would not vote in favor on PM-designate Mohammed Allawi’s cabinet. On February 23, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo encouraged Allawi to cooperate with Sunni and Kurdish leaders on government formation. On February 24, Allawi presented his government program to Parliament, promising early elections within a year, restoring rule of law and economic reforms. On February 24, Kurdish leaders said Allawi’s handling of government formation was “not reassuring and did not inspire confidence.” On February 24, Moqtada al-Sadr urged Sunni and Kurdish parties to stop insisting on the appointment of ministers based on sectarian or ethnic quotas. Sadr also said he could mobilize his Mahdi Army militia and use it against ISIS, U.S., and domestic rivals. On February 24, the Popular Mobilizations Force (PMF) selected Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi, alias “Abu Fadak”, as its new chief of staff, and the U.S. responded by designating him a global terrorist. On February 25, demonstrators turned out in large numbers in Baghdad to renew their opposition to foreign interference and Allawi’s nomination. Security forces, in attempts to disperse the protesters, used excessive force again, killing at least two and injuring dozens. On February 27, Parliament failed to achieve the quorum required to hold a meeting to vote on Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi’s cabinet, and Speaker Halbousi proposed to reschedule the meeting to February 29. more…
A Series of Bombings Strike Baghdad; Federal And KRG Forces To Close Security “Gaps” In Disputed Territories; Iraqi Forces Kill 39 Militants In A Major Operation – On February 22, a series of seven IEDs exploded throughout Baghdad injuring 15 people. On February 23, an IED wounded two farmers in Diyala. On February 24, suspected ISIS militants killed three civilians and injured a fourth in Salah ad-Din. On February 24, the Iraqi Minister of Defense and the KRG Minister of Peshmerga met in Baghdad to coordinate the respective lines of control of their forces and discuss cooperation to fill “security gaps” that ISIS exploits in Kirkuk, Diyala and Ninewa. On February 25, the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service forces killed 39 ISIS militants, including high-ranking figures, in a ten hour long clash in Salah ad-Din. On February 27, an IED explosion killed two civilians and wounded three others in Mahmoudiyah, south of Baghdad. more…
New Kidnappings Target Activists; Government Says 327,000 Families Remain Displaced; Iraq Responds To The Coronavirus After Confirmation Of Several Cases – On February 22, unknown individuals kidnapped activists Alaa Sheikh Ali and Tariq Hammoud after leaving Tahrir Square, the main protests hub in Baghdad. A third activist says government forces tortured him and extracted false confessions. On February 23, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement said that 63% of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their home districts since December 2017, indicating that 327,055 families remain in displacement. On February 24, health official in Najaf reported the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Iraq, contracted by an Iranian student at Najaf University. On February 26, a crisis committee led by the minister of health banned travel to and from nine countries with high infection rates and instructed authorities to close all schools and public shops and ban public gatherings nationwide until March 7. 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.
