Latest news with #SherwanDubardani
Rudaw Net
10-08-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish MP slams Baghdad for hypocrisy toward Erbil
Also in Iraq Two Kurds arrested in Kirkuk for flying US flags to stand trial Iraq reports nearly three million visitors for Arbaeen pilgrimage Sudani dismisses 2 PMF commanders linked to attack on ministry Iraq facing worst drought in over 90 years: UN A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament on Sunday accused Baghdad of hypocrisy in its dealings with Erbil, claiming the federal government applies excessive scrutiny to the Kurdistan Region while ignoring widespread corruption within its own institutions. "If the federal government of Iraq applied the same scrutiny and auditing it currently applies to the Kurdistan Region's non-oil revenues to its own institutions, such as border crossings, taxes, fees, and institutions' revenues, Iraq's non-oil revenues would be so high it wouldn't need to sell oil,' Sherwan Dubardani, from the Region's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), told Rudaw. Dubardani accused the federal government of 'deliberately' trying to weaken the Region, saying it 'overlooks countless corruption cases within its own institutions.' Tensions between the two sides escalated in late May when the federal finance ministry halted budget transfers, accusing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of exceeding its 12.67 percent share and failing to fulfill oil export commitments. The suspension disrupted salaries for more than 1.2 million public employees in the Region. In July, Erbil and Baghdad reached a deal under which the KRG agreed to export all its oil - about 230,000 barrels per day - through Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) in exchange for the release of long-delayed public sector salaries. Baghdad has since sent 975 billion dinars (around $737 million) to cover May salaries, but implementation has stalled over technical and financial disputes, leaving June and July wages unpaid. The lawmaker added that the Iraqi Council of Ministers was expected to decide on disbursing funds for the Kurdistan Region's civil servants' salaries during its Sunday meeting. However, Ali al-Daffayi, the spokesperson for the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) - a party within the Iran-aligned Coordination Framework, told Rudaw on Sunday that the council 'does not need to discuss' the budget issue because it 'has been discussed in detail' and that Erbil and Baghdad 'have reached pathways to solve this problem.' At the time of writing this article, the ministerial meeting has begun, but a statement has yet to be issued on the outcome. 'What we need now is commitment from all parties to the finalized agreement between Baghdad and Erbil,' he said. On Saturday, a ministerial council source told Rudaw that Iraq's oil and finance ministers would present reports on the latest proposals between Baghdad and Erbil, while the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau would submit a report containing both sides' positions to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and council members. A source from the Kurdistan Region's financial auditing board told Rudaw on Sunday that Erbil has offered to send 100 billion dinars monthly in non-oil revenue to Baghdad - representing 50 percent of customs, taxes, and fees. Baghdad, however, insists the KRG must hand over 50 percent of all revenues, a key point of contention. If no decision is made on salary payments during Sunday's meeting, the issue could be postponed for several days due to the Arbaeen pilgrimage, with the next Council of Ministers session scheduled for August 19.
Rudaw Net
29-06-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
KRG delegation arrives in Baghdad amid efforts to resolve financial disputes
Also in Iraq Iraq's Victory Coalition to skip election Iraq's marshlands are drying up Sistani rep warns Iraqis to remain vigilant despite Iran-Israel truce Two Iraqi delegations to arrive in Erbil to resolve financial disputes with KRG A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) arrived in Baghdad on Saturday to hold talks with the federal officials as both governments have intensified efforts to resolve their financial disputes, according to a lawmaker, who expressed his optimism that a deal could be reached soon. A technical delegation from the Iraqi government arrived in Erbil last week to pave the way for a visit by a high-profile delegation from Baghdad to the Kurdish capital. The technical team has held continuous meetings with senior officials of the Kurdistan Region. The meetings have been positive and good,' Sherwan Dubardani, a Kurdish member at the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw on Saturday. A Kurdish delegation headed by Kamal Mohammed, the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) acting natural resources minister, are set to meet with the federal oil minister and Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) to discuss the continuation of the Region's oil exports. 'With great probability, this week the issue of oil exports and employees' salaries will be resolved,' Dubardani said. The Iraqi government has paid the KRG's share from the federal budget for only the first four months of this year. This has crippled the Kurdish region's economy as it has more than a million civil servants. Oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline have been halted since March 2023, following a ruling by a Paris-based arbitration court that found Ankara had violated a 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to export oil independently. Officials in both Erbil and Baghdad say the halt has cost more than $24 billion in lost revenues. On May 26, a technical team from the Iraqi finance ministry, oil ministry, and the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau (FFSB) arrived in Erbil. According to Dubardani, Saturday's meeting in Baghdad marked a continuation of those discussions. Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May when the federal finance ministry suspended all budget transfers to the KRG, citing that the Region had exceeded its 12.67 percent share of the 2025 federal budget. Kurdish parties denounced the decision as politically motivated and unconstitutional. At a press conference attended by Rudaw, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said salaries of Kurdistan Region employees should not be tied to political disputes with Baghdad. He called the budget freeze 'unconstitutional' and said salaries 'were cut illegally.' He also said that a top Iraqi delegation will arrive in Erbil to resolve the disputes. Rudaw has learned that the delegation will visit Erbil on Monday. The timing of the federal government's decision coincided with the KRG's signing of two major energy deals with US companies, worth a combined $110 billion over their lifespans. Baghdad rejected the deals as illegal, arguing that all energy contracts must go through federal authorities.
Rudaw Net
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
YBS slams Iraqi army for labeling their fighters 'terrorists'
Also in Iraq ISIS suicide bomber detonates near army position in north Iraq Iraqi army arrests five after clashes with PKK-affiliated group in Shingal Tensions between Iraqi army, PKK-affiliated force continue in Shingal Cancer hospital to be opened in Mosul A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Shingal Resistance Units (YBS) on Thursday condemned the Iraqi army for labeling its captured fighters as 'terrorists and mercenaries' following an altercation in Shingal earlier this week. The group called for the immediate release of its members, accusing Iraqi forces of abuse. Four Iraqi soldiers were injured after clashes with an armed group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Nineveh province's Shingal (Sinjar) on Tuesday. The clashes resulted in several injuries on both sides, Sherwan Dubardani, a Kurdish lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Nineveh province, told Rudaw. The Shingal Resistance Units (YBS), an all-Yazidi force widely seen as an offshoot of the PKK, issued a statement on Thursday claiming that the Iraqi army targeted one of their vehicles in Shingal, leading to injuries among their fighters. 'The attack resulted in the capture of five of our comrades, some of whom were wounded, abused, beaten, with the incident being filmed and published. Their fate remains unknown until now,' read a statement from the YBS. It slammed statements from the Iraqi army leadership labeling their captured fighters as "terrorists and mercenaries." 'Some statements issued by the army leadership describing our captured comrades as terrorists and mercenaries are unacceptable, and we categorically reject them,' the YBS stressed. 'Everyone knows that the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) are the force that defended and liberated Sinjar from ISIS [Islamic State] mercenaries, and it is the force that took over the protection of Sinjar's security afterward,' the group added. YBS has controlled parts of Shingal since ISIS was defeated in the town but the presence of the force and several other forces in the district has been blamed for insecurity which has prevented thousands of its residents who fled due to the war on ISIS from returning. 'We demand the immediate release of our comrades,' the YBS said. Shingal remains a volatile region with multiple armed groups present, including those affiliated with the PKK, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Ongoing security issues and a lack of basic services have prevented many displaced Yazidis from returning to their homes. This is not the first time clashes have erupted between the Iraqi army and the YBS. In May 2022, a deadly altercation broke out over control of the town. Tensions were also high in March 2019. The YBS was formed in 2007, but its role became more prominent after ISIS attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in 2014, carrying out massacres against the ethnoreligious minority. With the help of PKK fighters, who descended from the Kurdistan Region's mountainous areas, the YBS was able to control large swathes of land in Shingal. Despite opposition from Baghdad and sporadic attacks by Ankara—which considers it an offshoot of the PKK—the YBS remains one of the dominant forces in the area. The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in a decades-long conflict with Ankara, resulting in over 40,000 deaths. Last year, Iraq officially banned the PKK, paving the way for stronger relations between Baghdad and Ankara. Subsequently, both countries signed dozens of agreements in various fields, including security.
Rudaw Net
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Tensions between Iraqi army, PKK-affiliated force continue in Shingal
Also in Iraq Cancer hospital to be opened in Mosul Iraq's Sadr condemns renewed Israeli attacks on Gaza Several Iraqi soldiers injured in Shingal clashes: Lawmaker Iraqi FM deplores Israeli attacks on Gaza, confirms clear 'Zionist' threats to Iraq A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi army and an armed group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) clashed in Nineveh province's Shingal (Sinjar) late Tuesday, causing several injuries from both sides, according to a lawmaker and the group. The Shingal Resistance Units (YBS), widely seen as an all-Yazidi offshoot of the PKK, said in a statement early Wednesday that the Iraqi army targeted one of their vehicles in Shingal, which led to the injuries of their fighters. YBS claimed that the army "ambushed" their members, adding that one of the injured is in critical condition. The Iraqi army has yet to comment on the incident. Sherwan Dubardani, a Kurdish lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Nineveh province, told Rudaw late Tuesday that four Iraqi soldiers were injured in the altercation, claiming that the army was pursuing a stolen vehicle before YBS fighters attacked the soldiers in defense of the individual accused of stealing the vehicle. Luqman Sultan, head of Shingal hospital, told Rudaw that five members of the Iraqi army were injured in the incident. Pro-YBS media reported on Wednesday that tensions between both sides continue. YBS-affiliated Cira TV said that some people went to protest against the Iraqi army near the incident area but were prevented by the army. There is a myriad of armed groups in Shingal, including those affiliated with the PKK, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Ongoing security issues and a lack of basic services have prevented many displaced people from returning to their homes. This is not the first time clashes have erupted between the army and the YBS. A deadly altercation took place between them over control of the town in May 2022. Tensions between both sides were also high in March 2019. YBS was formed in 2007 but its role became more prominent after the Islamic State (ISIS) attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in 2014 and carried out massacres against the ethnoreligious minority group. With the help of the PKK fighters, who descended from Kurdistan Region's mountainous areas, the YBS was able to control large swathes of land in Shingal and still remains one of the dominant forces there despite opposition from Baghdad and sporadic attacks by Ankara - which considers it an offshoot of the PKK. The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, has been involved in a devastating conflict with Ankara for decades. Over 40,000 people have been killed in the clashes. Last year, Iraq banned the PKK, paving the way for stronger relations between Baghdad and Ankara. Later, both countries signed dozens of agreements in various fields, including security.
Rudaw Net
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Several Iraqi soldiers injured in Shingal clashes: Lawmaker
Also in Iraq Iraqi FM deplores Israeli attacks on Gaza, confirms clear 'Zionist' threats to Iraq Kurdish farmer released on bail after dispute with Iraqi soldier PM Sudani, Turkish energy minister discuss Kurdish oil exports Iraqi PM, US Defense Secretary discuss counter-ISIS cooperation A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least four members of the Iraqi army were injured in an altercation with a group of armed men, believed to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in Shingal district on Tuesday, according to lawmaker Sherwan Dubardani. The Kurdish parliamentarian, who represents the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Nineveh, told Rudaw that the clashes occurred after the army pursued a stolen vehicle. A group of armed men, linked to the Shingal Protection Units (YBS), an offshoot of the PKK, attacked the army in an attempt to defend the individual accused of stealing the vehicle, before fleeing the scene. Dubardani also stated that the person accused of stealing the vehicle has been arrested. Shingal is home to several armed groups, including those affiliated with the PKK, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The ongoing security issues and lack of basic services have prevented many displaced people from returning to their homes. Luqman Sultan, head of Shingal Hospital, told Rudaw that five members of the Iraqi army were injured in the incident.
