MENA brief Jun 15: Erdogan warns of ‘devastating war’, Gaza internet restored
Iran announced it will scale back cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), expressing deep dissatisfaction over what it views as the agency’s failure to condemn Israeli attacks on its nuclear facilities.
Gaza bombing continues amid fears of wider regional conflict
Israel's relentless military offensive has since killed at least 26,422 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the territory's health ministry. The Gaza war has forced more than one million Palestinians to flee to the far-southern Rafah area near the Egyptian border, according to the UN,...Iran denies links to Jordan drone strike that killed 3 US troops
US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that "radical Iran-backed fighters groups operating in Syria and Iraq" were behind the strike on the frontier base in Jordan's northeast. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron reiterated a call for Iran "to de-escalate in the region".Baghdad, Washington to discuss removal of foreign troops from Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq - Iraq and the United States on Saturday held a "first round" of talks on the future of American and other foreign troops in the country, with the Middle Eastern country expecting discussions to lead to a timeline for reducing their presence.The office of Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani...US to discuss troop withdrawal with Iraq soon: report
New York, United States - The United States will begin talks with Iraq on the withdrawal of US troops from this Middle Eastern country, CNN reported on Wednesday citing sources familiar with the matter."The US and Iraq are close to agreement on starting the Higher Military Commission dialogue that was announced...Two dead in US strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq
The US strikes come against an already explosive regional backdrop, fueled by the war in Gaza between Washington's ally Israel and the Iranian-backed Hamas. The US Central Command said the strikes targeted Ketaeb Hizbollah "headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack UAV (drone) capabilities".Years after civil war, security wall holds back Iraqi city
Built more than a decade ago at the height of Iraq's civil war which tore apart the multi-faith, multi-ethnic country, authorities say the wall must remain to prevent the threat of jihadist violence, even as security has gradually improved across the country. There are three tightly controlled checkpoints in the...US-led coalition base in Iraq hit by missiles
Al-Asad airbase was targeted by 15 rockets" fired from Anbar province, which is home to the military base, an Iraqi police official from the region told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said 13 of the projectiles were shot down by anti-air defenses but that "two fell on the...Coach Mancini warns Saudi against taking Kyrgyzstan lightly
Doha, Qatar - Roberto Mancini warned Saudi Arabia against falling victim to the kind of Asian Cup shock suffered by favorites Japan when his side face Kyrgyzstan on Sunday.Saudi Arabia fought back to beat Oman 2-1 in stoppage time in their opening match in Qatar and can seal their place in...US drone crashes in Iraq, Islamic resistance fighters claim hit
US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria have been hit by some 140 attacks since mid-October, according to the Pentagon -- many of which have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. On January 4, a US strike in central Baghdad killed a pro-Iran commander who Washington said...Iraq upsets Japan to sail into knockouts of Asian Cup
Doha, Qatar - Aymen Hussein scored two first-half headers as Iraq stunned Asian Cup favorites Japan 2-1 on Friday to reach the knockout rounds.It was Japan's first Asian Cup group-stage defeat in 26 matches and set them on a potential collision course with South Korea in the last 16 in Qatar,...Iraq recalls Iran envoy in rebuke to ally over deadly strikes
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had destroyed the "Zionist regime's spy headquarters in the Kurdistan region of Iraq." The strike came "in response to the recent vicious actions of the Zionist regime which martyred the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and the resistance front," a Guards statement carried by Iran's...Iran Guards hit ‘terrorist’ targets in Iraq, Syria
The IRGC also hit targets in Syria with ballistic missiles, including the "gathering places of commanders and main elements related to recent terrorist operations, particularly the Islamic State group", their Sepah News service reported. It added that the strike on Syria was in response to recent attacks by terrorist groups...Turkish strikes leaves hundreds of Syrian villages without electricity
Qamishli, Syria - Hundreds of northeast Syrian villages and towns have lost power after Turkish strikes pounded electricity stations and infrastructure, the region's semi-autonomous Kurdish administration said on Monday.The Kurdish administration said Turkey launched a slew of strikes since Friday, mostly concentrated on infrastructure including power stations and oil refineries.Turkey said...US targets Houthis in new strikes over Red Sea threat
Violence involving Iran-aligned groups in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria has surged since the war in Gaza began in early October. The Houthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Gaza, have carried out a growing number of attacks on what they deem Israeli-linked shipping on the key Red...Turkey bombs ‘terrorist targets’ in Iraq and Syria
The Turkish ministry said the strikes had targeted 29 locations including "caves, bunkers, shelters and oil installations" belonging to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the YPG (People's Protection Units), a Syrian Kurdish militia which is a central element of US-allied forces in a coalition against Islamic State. Meanwhile, 113...Yemen rebels: US, UK interests ‘legitimate targets’ after strikes
Britain, the United States and eight allies said the strikes aimed to "de-escalate tensions". But Iran and other governments condemned the Western action or warned that unrest could worsen. The UN Security Council was due to hold an emergency meeting on the strikes on Friday, days after adopting a resolution...Iran supports Baghdad pledge to expel US-led forces from Iraq
"We have repeatedly expressed our views to the authorities of the countries of the region, including Iraq, and declared that the presence of American forces in any form whatsoever... would not help to maintain stability and peace," said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani.Iraq PM says determined to end presence of US-led coalition
Sudani, whose government relies on support from Tehran-aligned parties, has repeatedly said in recent weeks he would like to see foreign troops leave Iraq. But the latest remarks came amid soaring regional tensions, with the repercussions of the Israel-Hamas war, raging for nearly three months, increasingly felt in Iraq and...Iran-backed Iraqi group says top commander dead in US strike
Baghdad, Iraq - A "US strike" in Baghdad on Thursday killed a military commander of the Hashed al-Shaabi, the ex-paramilitary force said, with an Iraq security official reporting two deaths in a drone attack."A drone targeted the logistical support headquarters of Hashed al-Shaabi," mainly pro-Iranian former paramilitary units integrated into the...New PM announced by Kuwaiti ruler to end political stalemate
Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who was sworn in as emir last month, named Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem Al-Sabah, a popular ex-foreign minister, as the new premier. He replaces Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, son of the late emir whose death has raised hopes of a political shift in the country.Massive rally in Istanbul against ‘murderer’ Israel’s war in Gaza
The rally, called by a foundation which counts Bilal Erdogan, the son of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, among its members started after crowds performed morning prayers at Istanbul's iconic mosques, including Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.19 pro-Iran fighters killed in Syria strikes, says monitor
Air strikes in eastern Syria "likely" launched by Israel killed at least 19 pro-Iran fighters, a war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "19 pro-Iranian fighters, including four Syrians, and six Iraqis, were killed and more than 18 were wounded" in at least nine air strikes overnight...US warship shoots down drone, missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis
Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas. The attacks are endangering a transit route that carries up to 12 percent of global trade, prompting the United States to set...Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez supports Iraq’s sovereignty, stability
"My country, always at the request of the Iraqi authorities, will support the unity, sovereignty and stability of Iraq," said Sanchez during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani. Spain has deployed more than 300 soldiers as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition and NATO's mission in...Iraq slams US air strikes on pro-Iran forces as a ’clear hostile act’
"It runs counter to the pursuit of enduring mutual interests in establishing security and stability, and it opposes the declared intention of the American side to enhance relations with Iraq," Baghdad said.Turkey targets ‘terrorists’ in Iraq and Syria after 12 soldiers killed
Ankara has operated several dozen military posts in the area for the past 25 years in its decades-old war against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group blacklisted by Turkey and many of its Western allies as a terrorist organization. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called for retaliation...Six Turkish soldiers dead in Iraq after PKK attack
Ankara, Turkey - Six Turkish soldiers were killed and one wounded when their base in northern Iraq was attacked by members of a Kurdish party outlawed by Ankara, the defense ministry said on Saturday.Turkey has operated several dozen military posts in northern Iraq for the past 25 years in its decades-old...New Kuwaiti emir rebukes parliament and cabinet in inaugural speech
Officially taking over from his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf, who passed away on Saturday, Sheikh Meshal is faced with the task of pulling the country out of longstanding political paralysis and reforming a bloated public sector that have turned Kuwait into one of the Gulf's most laggard states.Iraqis vote in first provincial elections for a decade
The vote is expected to consolidate the position of the ruling Coordination Framework coalition, an Iran-aligned bloc that brings together Shiite Islamist parties with factions of Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of former paramilitary units integrated into the regular army.France steps up Middle East effort with foreign minister’s Lebanon visit
There have been near-daily cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Hamas ally in Lebanon, and Israel since the Palestinian group's unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel.Saudis, Iraq stand firm as COP28 mulls phase-out of fossil fuels
With less than 48 hours left before the conference's official end, COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber invited ministers to give their views in a "majlis" -- a traditional Gulf Arab meeting held in a circle. While Jaber called the gathering in an effort to produce a compromise, warning that "failure...Some farmers in drought-hit Iraq forced to reduce crops: NGO
Baghdad, Iraq -- Sixty percent of farmers surveyed in four provinces of drought-hit Iraq reported having to reduce cultivated areas or water used, an international rights group said Sunday.The Norwegian Refugee Council called on the Iraqi authorities to improve governance of water resources in the country that has been described as...Iraqis haunted by war battle mental health issues
Ravaged by war and rocked by Islamic State group attacks, Iraq's demand for mental health professionals is great, but help is hard to come by. Baghdad's Al-Rashad psychiatric hospital receives patients suffering from serious psychological illnesses, such as schizophrenia, and offers outpatient treatment for depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.US renews waiver allowing Iraq to buy Iranian gas
Due to US sanctions against Iran, Baghdad cannot pay Tehran directly for its gas. Baghdad's unpaid bills to Tehran for past gas imports amount to some $10 billion, according to the senior official.Iran says expansion of Israel-Hamas war has become ‘inevitable’
President Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as "its duty to support the resistance groups" but insisted that they act independently.Roadside blast hits global coalition troops in Iraq
The forces encountered an IED (improvised explosive device) blast near the Mosul dam, the military official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. No casualties were reported. This is the latest in a growing series of attacks on US personnel in the region, following the outbreak of the war between...US won’t hesitate to defend its troops in Middle East: Pentagon
Washington, United States - Over the last three weeks, Iran-backed militia groups have attacked US bases and facilities in Iraq and Syria 41 times. The US has defended itself against those attacks and will continue to do so, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East said.Following the...Iraq event on ‘regional stability’ adjourned over Gaza war
Baghdad, Iraq - An international summit in Baghdad on "regional stability" planned for late November has been postponed due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, an Iraqi official told AFP on Thursday.The third edition of the Baghdad conference "for economic integration and regional stability", co-organised by France, "is postponed until further notice...Electricity-starved Iraq looks to sun to power its future
To encourage renewable energy, Iraq's Central Bank in 2022 announced the allocation of $750 million in almost zero-interest loans for individuals and private companies adopting solar power. But the initiative is "stalling due to a lack of cooperation from banks", according to Mohamed al-Duleimi, an expert in renewable energies.Ooredoo net profit up
Its revenue rose to US$4.72bn in the first 9 months of 2023.UN warns of Syria danger and Israel-Hamas ‘spillover’
United Nations - The United Nations on Monday warned that Syria was at its "most dangerous" point in a long time as violence surges and as "spillover" from the Israel-Hamas war starts to have an impact.Syria has "seen growing instability and violence, exacerbated by the lack of a meaningful political...2,700-year-old sculpture unearthed in Iraq
Erected at the entrance to the ancient city of Khorsabad, the sculpture shows the Lamassu, an Assyrian deity with a human head, the body of a bull and the wings of a bird.Iraq airbase hosting US troops hit by suicide drone
Since Wednesday, three Iraqi bases used by US-led coalition troops have been targeted in five separate attacks -- Ain al-Assad, the Al-Harir base in northern Iraq and a military camp near Baghdad airport. The United States currently has about 2,500 troops stationed at the three bases, alongside around 1,000 soldiers...Rockets fired at US army in Iraq, no casualty reported
Baghdad, Iraq - US troops stationed at two bases in Iraq have been targeted with rocket attacks that caused no casualties, US and Iraqi military sources said Friday, against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war.Armed factions close to Iran have threatened to attack US interests in Iraq over Washington's support for...Saudi Arabia offers to fund Iraq’s largest housing project
Baghdad, Iraq - Saudi banks have offered to fund Iraq's largest housing project, which was previously stalled by South Korea's Hanwha Company due to a financial dispute with the Iraqi government, the official Iraqi daily Alsabah reported on Thursday. The Bismaya project had already seen the construction of approximately 30,000 out...Thousands protest across the world in support of Palestinians
"No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted demonstrators gathered in central Baghdad after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a protest "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.People marvel at ancient Iraq in new ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game
The central character, pickpocket turned master assassin Basim, speaks classical Arabic in "Assassin's Creed Mirage",.Turkish strikes on Kurdish targets kill two in Syria: monitor
Turkey has also launched strikes on positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq since Sunday, when two policemen were wounded in an attack in Ankara claimed by the PKK. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan alleged the perpetrators of the attack had been trained in Syria and warned...Iraqi Prime Minister to visit Moscow for talks with Russian president
Baghdad, Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani is scheduled to embark on a two-day visit to Moscow from October 10 to 11, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported on Wednesday, quoting sources.Prime Minister Al-Sudani is set to leave Iraq on October 9, with...Turkey threatens to expand strikes in Iraq and Syria after Ankara attack
A branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) -- listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies -- claimed responsibility for the first bombing to hit Ankara since 2016.