Key Takeaways:
Iraq’s Prime Minister Visits China And Saudi Arabia, President Attends UNGA; Abadi Warns of Government Collapse; KRG Links Oil Obligations To Baghdad With Its Debt To Oil Firms – On September 19, PM Adil Abdul-Mahdi traveled to China for five days of diplomatic and economic meetings. Abdul-Mahdi signed eight MoUs with Chinese officials pertaining to financial, commercial, security, reconstruction, communications, culture, education, and foreign affairs. On September 25, Abdul-Mahdi went to Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security and bilateral relations with the Saudi king and crownprince, following recent attacks on Saudi oil installations. On September 23-24, President Salih met with President Trump and the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, UK, Egypt, Jordan, and others, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to discuss regional security, economic development, and threats to Iraq’s Sovereignty. On September 22, former PM Haider al-Abadi convened a joint meeting of his Nasr coalition and Ammar al-Hakim’s Hikma Movement in which he warned that the “continuing deterioration” of the federal government “could lead to its collapse”. On September 22, Kurdish representatives in Iraq’s Parliament said the Federal Government should pay the $3 billion the KRG owes to oil companies operating in the region before Erbil can deliver 250,000 bpd of its oil to Baghdad. more…
Rare Karbala Bombing Kills Many; Militant Attacks Haunt Tarmiya, Diyala and Kirkuk; New Rocket Attacks Strike Near U.S. Embassy – On September 20, an IED attached to a minibus exploded at a main entrance into Karbala, killing twelve Iraqis and injuring five. On September 19, an IED killed a policeman and wounded an officer in Hawija, west of Kirkuk. On September 20, an IED njured two farmers near Jalawla, in Diyala. On September 22, unidentified gunmen killed two pro-government tribal fighters, three other civilians and two ISF personnel in Tarmiya, north of Baghdad. On September 23, an IED killed an explosives expert attempting to defuse it near Baqubah, in Diyala. On September 23, an IED injured two civilians in Hawija, south of Kirkuk. On September 22, two roadside bombs exploded within a short period of each other in the Makmour district, southeast of Mosul, and wounded four people. On September 24, ISIS militants killed one PMF fighter and injured three in Diyala’s Khanaqin district. On September 26, an IED killed two civilians and injured a third in Daquq district, south of Kirkuk. On September 23, two rockets impacted a half-mile from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The attack came amid high tensions between the U.S. and PMF factions close to Iran. U.S.-led coalition forces said this attack “will not be tolerated.” more…
Dozens Of Illegal Refineries Spread Toxic Waste In KRI; Outrage Over ISF Mistreatment Of Protesting Graduates; Ninewa IDP Camp Closures Continue – On September 23, a report warned of increased cases of miscarriages and cancer in Kurdish villages situated close to dozens of low-tech refineries that dump untreated oil waste into rivers and surrounding soil. On September 23, the Ministry of Migration reported that 1,326 IDPs have returned to their homes in the Ninewa area, mostly from camps south of Mosul. The return allowed the Ministry to close four IDP camps in Ninewa. On September 25, Iraqi social media circulated footage of government security forces using water cannons to disperse young graduates demanding jobs, which drew widespread criticism. The incident was met with heavy criticism by many ordinary Iraqis and opposition politicians. On September 19, IOM opened a new office in Jalawla, in Diyala province to address the needs of the over 220,000 IDPs who have returned to the district. On September 20, the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh (UNITAD) through September 2020. 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.