Latest news with #PMF
Rudaw Net
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iraq parliament to probe drone attacks on Kurdistan Region
Also in Iraq Iraqi top court to hear complaints against KRG-US energy deals Duhok crowned Iraq Cup champions Iraq launches security operation after drone attacks UK condemns drone attacks in Kurdistan Region A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's parliament will investigate recent drone attacks that primarily targeted Kurdistan Region's oil fields and energy infrastructure. 'Next week we will have a visit as the Security and Defense Committee to learn the details of the incident and who is behind this incident,' Mohammed Rasul, a member of parliament's Security and Defense Committee, told Rudaw on Friday. The military's Joint Operations Command has also begun investigating the types of drones and the bombs and explosives used. In the month of July, there have been at least 18 drone attacks on locations in the Kurdistan Region. Most recently, on Thursday, two explosive-laden drones crashed in Erbil's outskirts, according to the Erbil-based Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD). 'National security and military intelligence need to be brought to the forefront. Everyone should be watchful. Some parties want to create tension in the situation. They want to accuse the PMF [Popular Mobilization Forces] and armed groups and other parties,' said Mohammed Rasul, another member of the committee. 'Now a third party is playing its role visibly and is far from the eyes of security agencies,' Rasul added. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has blamed the attacks on Iraq's PMF, a charge Baghdad has denied. On Monday, the Iraqi parliament will convene to discuss the 'terrorist attacks with explosive drones on infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region,' according to the agenda. Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, said in a statement on Wednesday that the Region has lost nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production due to the 'spate of drone attacks by criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll.' The Kurdistan Region's Presidency, Council of Ministers, and Ministry of Natural Resources have all strongly condemned the attacks, describing them as attempts to cripple the Region's vital oil infrastructure. They called on the federal government to hold the perpetrators to account. No group has claimed responsibility. There have been no new attacks since Erbil and Baghdad on Thursday reached a new agreement on finances and oil exports.
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Iraq investigates drone attacks on military radars and Kurdish oilfields
Iraq said on Friday that it was investigating a series of attacks on Kurdish oilfields, while a separate search determined that drone strikes against military radar systems last month were launched from within its borders. Oilfields, military bases, airports and a camp for internally displaced people in the Kurdish Region of Iraq have been targets of a spate of drone attacks this month. The attacks cut production from several foreign-owned oilfields. Iraqi security forces announced an operation in the western Nineveh and Salah Al Din provinces to find the saboteurs. 'The recent attacks on oil installations and fields, along with attempts to target military bases and camps, are considered sinful and dangerous acts that undermine all efforts towards Iraq's stability, reconstruction, and development campaigns,' Iraq's Security Media Cell said in a post on X. The operation is being carried out by several units and groups, including the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). No group has claimed responsibility but the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has blamed the attacks on the PMF, an umbrella of Iran-backed groups. The Iraqi government has denied the accusation against 'an official Iraqi security institution'. The former paramilitary groups are now integrated into Iraq's armed forces. The US embassy in Iraq condemned the attacks, urging the Iraqi government to 'investigate who is behind these attacks and hold them accountable'. It said in a statement that Baghdad 'must exercise its authority to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites within its own territory, including locations where Iraqi and international companies have invested in Iraq's future'. The latest series of drone attacks come at a time of heightened tension between Baghdad and Erbil on resuming oil exports, halted since 2023 over legal disputes, technical issues and Kurdistan's share in the federal budget. The last attack was on Thursday morning, hours before the Iraqi cabinet approved a long-anticipated agreement with the KRG that could reset their strained relationship over oil exports and public sector salaries. Erbil's airport has been hit by rockets and drone attacks over the years. Iraq has been a battleground for such attacks, often linked to regional proxy struggles. Last month, drones struck military radar systems in Iraq in the backdrop of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. On June 24, the Iraqi government said that several small suicide drones targeted Iraqi military sites and bases, including the radar systems at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, and Imam Ali Base in Dhi Qar Province in southern Iraq. Sabah Al Numan, the military spokesman for the prime minister, said that Iraq identified 'the origin of the drones used in the attacks,' adding that they were 'equipped with warheads of varying weights and were manufactured outside Iraq.' The drones were also launched from several locations inside Iraq. They were all of the same type, which indicates 'a single executing party,' he said, adding that the government had identified 'the entities' involved in the attacks.
Rudaw Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iraq launches security operation after drone attacks
Also in Iraq UK condemns drone attacks in Kurdistan Region Iraq launches probe into Wasit mall fire that killed 63 Iraq holds nationwide mourning after mall blaze kills 61 At least 50 killed, dozens missing in Iraq shopping mall fire A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi security forces on Friday announced an operation in western Nineveh and Salahaddin provinces to track down those responsible for a spate of drone attacks on oil, military, and civilian sites in the Kurdistan Region. 'The recent attacks on oil installations and fields, along with attempts to target military bases and camps, are considered sinful and dangerous acts that undermine all efforts toward Iraq's stability, reconstruction, and development campaigns,' the military's Security Media Cell said in a post on X. 'Security forces have launched a wide-scale search operation' in response to these attacks, it added. The operation spans the Hatra desert, targeting warehouses, valleys, and caves. 'This operation comes in response to critical intelligence aimed at thwarting intentions and attempts to target security units and vital infrastructure in the country,' it said. In the month of July, there have been at least 18 drone attacks in the Kurdistan Region, including on oil fields, Peshmerga bases, a camp for internally displaced persons, and critical infrastructure like airports. The Iraqi operation is being carried out with the coordination of several forces, including the Joint Operations Command, counter-terrorism, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has blamed the attacks on the PMF, a charge Baghdad has denied.
Shafaq News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi parliament holds second reading of PMF Law
Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq's parliament conducted the second reading of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Administrative Structure Law on Wednesday, advancing a controversial proposal that would expand the group's institutional authority. The revised draft, set to replace Law No. 40 of 2016, includes 17 articles that restructure the PMF's hierarchy, authorize new directorates, and broaden its legal and executive powers. It supersedes the earlier PMF Service and Retirement Law, which was pulled in March amid political backlash and US pressure to tighten federal control over the force. In a statement, First Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, who presided over the session with 172 lawmakers in attendance, described the bill as a step toward institutionalizing the PMF's chain of command. He instructed the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee to integrate MPs' feedback before the bill proceeds to a final vote. The bill's inclusion—missing from the agenda published a day earlier—sparked a walkout by several Kurdish and Sunni MPs in protest. Lawmakers also debated nominations to the Federal Public Service Council and the presidency of the State Council, alongside other legislative items.
Iraqi News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Coordination Framework fears potential Al-Sadr-Al-Sudani alliance ahead of Iraq's election
Baghdad ( – Leaders of Iraq's ruling Shia coalition, the Coordination Framework, held a high-level meeting on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) to discuss the latest political maneuvers by influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, which have sparked fears of a potential new alliance between Al-Sadr and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani that could reshape the upcoming parliamentary elections. The meeting, held at the office of former Prime Minister and Al-Nasr Coalition leader Haider al-Abadi, focused on the repercussions of Al-Sadr's recent statements. An informed source within the Framework told a local news agency that the coalition is grappling with how to respond to this 'new equation.' Al-Sadr's calculated move: An alternative path Despite maintaining his personal boycott of the November 11, 2025 elections and recently disavowing dozens of his own followers for running against his decision, Al-Sadr on Monday hinted at a new strategy. He signaled his readiness to support an 'alternative bloc' that publicly commits to his comprehensive reform program. The key tenets of Al-Sadr's program include ensuring Iraq's independence, confining all weapons to the hands of the state, strengthening the army and police, dissolving militias, and formally organizing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) within a new legal security framework. The Framework's fear: A Sadr-Sudani alignment According to the source, these reformist conditions, particularly regarding state control of arms and the PMF, conflict with the policies of several key parties within the Coordination Framework. More alarmingly for some, they align with the perceived leanings of their own prime minister. 'Some leaders within the Framework have detected what they consider to be preliminary signals of an unannounced alignment between Al-Sadr and the leanings of Al-Sudani on this matter,' the source explained. 'These leaders fear that Al-Sadr could provide indirect support to Al-Sudani in the upcoming elections,' creating a powerful new rival bloc that could challenge their dominance. The Framework's meeting reportedly stressed the need to contain any shifts in Shia voter sentiment that could lead to a fragmentation of their power base. Political analyst Atheer Al-Sharaa noted that Al-Sadr's recent publication of his old 'Triple Alliance' documents was a 'clear rejection of consensus-based politics,' suggesting he feels betrayed by past allies and is unwilling to repeat the experience. He added that any genuine consensus would be complex, as Al-Sadr's condition of disarming all factions has been met with rejection by some armed groups. As the November election approaches, Al-Sadr's latest move has successfully reshuffled the political deck. The Coordination Framework now faces the complex challenge of managing not only its primary rival but also the potential for a powerful new political axis to form around its own Prime Minister.
