Unprecedented trip: Iraqi President Rashid arrives in Diyala province
Rashid will hold meetings with officials in Baqubah, the provincial capital, before visiting the Kurdish-majority town of Khanaqin to assess conditions and engage with local administrators, a well-informed source revealed on Monday.
فيديو/ ديالى ترحب بفخامة الرئيس @LJRashid pic.twitter.com/5oMuyNyzJn
— رئاسة جمهورية العراق (@IraqiPresidency) April 21, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
an hour ago
- Rudaw Net
37 Kurdish migrants to be repatriated from Tunisia to the Kurdistan Region
Also in Kurdistan Erbil authorities pledge justice for slain victims in gas station shooting Erbil launches first stage of green belt project President Barzani welcomes new US consul, reaffirms partnership with Washington US-led coalition support for Peshmerga to continue: Peshmerga ministry official A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Thirty-seven Kurdish migrants detained in Tunisia are expected to be repatriated to the Kurdistan Region within the next two days, Iraq's ambassador to Tunisia told Rudaw. Abdul Hakim al-Qassab noted on Monday that 'all of the 37 citizens, who were detained in Tunisia, have been released and are now at our embassy,' adding that the embassy has been actively coordinating with Tunisian authorities and monitoring the migrants' situation for several days. The Iraqi ambassador further assured that 'no effort will be spared' in accelerating the process of repatriation. He also stated that the migrants' confiscated belongings, which had been held by a court in the coastal Tunisian town of Kelibia, will be returned. 'We will make an official request and retrieve all their money and phones,' he said. The migrants chiefly hail from the Kurdistan Region's eastern Sulaimani province. Their ages range from 15 to 37. This development comes just weeks after 24 Kurdish migrants from Sulaimani's Raparin administration, who attempted to reach Europe via Libya, were repatriated after being detained for a month. In July, Rudaw reported on the increasing number of young people from the Raparin area choosing the Libya-Italy sea route to reach Europe. The route has become increasingly popular over the traditional Turkey-Greece corridor, due to tighter border controls and longer crossing times. Ranj Pishdari, a Europe-based migrant rights activist, then-told Rudaw that more than 300 young people from the Kurdistan Region are estimated to use this route every week. Meanwhile, Bakr Ali, head of the Association of Returned Refugees (ARR), explained that the Libya-Italy crossing is seen as more viable because the sea journey takes roughly eight hours, compared to the 72-hour route from Greece. 'Smugglers charge nearly $17,000 per person,' Ali said, noting that a large portion of that money goes to Libyan militia groups who control the coastal areas and do not allow migrants to depart without payment. Rudaw previously learned that one of the most influential smugglers operating in Libya is a Kurd from Raparin, identified only by the initials H.K. Though primarily based in Europe, he has temporarily relocated to Libya to oversee smuggling operations and coordinate crossings for Kurdish migrants. Officials and civil society groups in the Kurdistan Region have repeatedly warned against the growing migration trend, pointing to high unemployment and limited economic opportunities in the region as the main driving forces behind the surge.
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Shafaq News
SDF, Asayish on alert in Syria's Raqqa
Shafaq News – Damascus (Updated at 00:20) The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Internal Security Forces (Asayish) placed all positions and checkpoints at Raqqa's entrances on high alert, sources close to the Syrian government told Shafaq News. No official statement has been issued on the reasons for the mobilization. The move comes a day after the Syrian Ministry of Defense sent substantial reinforcements to eastern Aleppo and Raqqa, deploying units to Tishreen Dam, Deir Hafer, and Zamla in response to repeated SDF attacks on government forces, according to the German Press Agency (DPA). A military source told DPA that the SDF's withdrawal from the March 10 agreement, combined with recent clashes and the outcomes of the Hasakah conference, signaled it was 'no longer pursuing a political solution,' adding that a military operation east of the Euphrates 'remains the only option' to regain control of the area. In a statement, the SDF accused Damascus of engaging in 'provocative movements', alleging repeated ceasefire violations. It claimed that government-affiliated groups had been attempting to provoke its forces for days, amassing in certain areas, increasing patrols, and conducting near-constant drone flights — including one that detonated on the outskirts of Sheikh Maqsoud. Provocative Movements by Damascus Government Forces in the Vicinity of Deir Hafer and the Neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and AshrafiehFor several days, groups affiliated with the Damascus Government have been attempting to provoke our forces, engaging in suspicious movements… — Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) August 11, 2025 Damascus has also cancelled a planned meeting in Paris between government and SDF delegations, citing the Hasakah conference, held in SDF-controlled territory. However, a Syrian government source told Al Jazeera that an SDF delegation has since arrived in Damascus for a new round of talks, aimed at building on the agreement signed earlier between Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Syrian energy minister arrives in Baghdad for oil, power talks
Shafaq News – Baghdad Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir arrived in Baghdad on Monday to discuss bilateral energy cooperation, a Syrian source told Shafaq News, contradicting earlier media reports that his visit would begin Tuesday. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir, accompanied by assistant minister Ghiath Diab and a delegation, arrived in Iraq for official talks on water resource cooperation. The visit included meetings with Iraqi energy officials and focused on rehabilitating the Kirkuk to Baniyas… — Levant24 (@Levant_24_) August 11, 2025 Al-Bashir's trip follows his announcement last week of plans to study the rehabilitation of the Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline, a key link between northern Iraq and Syria's Mediterranean coast. The project aims to boost joint energy projects and strengthen economic ties. Speaking to Syria's state news channel, al-Bashir also said daily electricity supply across Syria would soon reach 8–10 hours—a level not seen in decades.
