Latest news with #SovereigntyAlliance
Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Leader Barzani with Sovereignty Alliance: Iraq's political obstacles in focus
Shafaq News – Erbil On Tuesday, Kurdish Leader Masoud Barzani and Sovereignty Alliance Leader Khamis al-Khanjar discussed political developments in Iraq and the wider region. In a meeting held in Salahaddin Resort, Erbil, the two leaders highlighted the crises and challenges facing Iraq's political process, according to a statement from Barzani's office. They also explored ways to enhance coordination and cooperation among Iraqi political forces.
Shafaq News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkish intelligence chief in Baghdad for high-level security talks
Shafaq News - Ankara/Baghdad Turkiye's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin held a series of high-level meetings in Baghdad on Tuesday to reinforce border cooperation and advance joint counterterrorism efforts, sources to Anadolu Agency. Kalin, who heads the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), conferred with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, President Abdul Latif Rashid, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Additional talks were held with Defense Minister Thabit Abbasi, Intelligence Service Director Hamid al-Shatri, Sovereignty Alliance leader Khamis al-Khanjar, and Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani. The Sunni-led Sovereignty Alliance holds parliamentary seats and represents Sunni Arab interests, particularly in western and northern Iraq. The meetings focused on coordinated steps to eliminate cross-border threats and advance a shared objective of a 'terror-free Turkiye.' Turkish security sources told Anadolu that Iraqi officials pledged full support at all institutional levels. Officials also reviewed the status of the Iran-Israel ceasefire and discussed initiatives aimed at fostering regional stability and deepening bilateral relations. Separately, Kalin met with Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) President M. Seman Agaoglu and senior ITC figures. The talks covered the security situation in Turkmen-majority areas and preparations for Iraq's elections scheduled for November 2025, amid legislative changes and disputes over electoral law, districting, and minority representation. Turkmen-populated areas in Iraq include towns and districts in Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu, Tal Afar, and parts of Diyala and Nineveh provinces. These regions are ethnically mixed and have long been contested among Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen communities.
Shafaq News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Forbidden words? Iraq investigates Sovereignty Alliance chief
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced the launch of an investigation into a leaked audio recording allegedly featuring Khamis al-Khanjar, leader of the Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada). The Third Karkh Investigative Court initiated proceedings after receiving a formal request from MPs Mohammed Jassem al-Khafaji and Amir Razzaq Ajlan, who urged legal action over the recording reportedly containing language 'violating Iraqi legal standards.' The controversy arose after an Iraqi television program aired a segment claiming to feature al-Khanjar making sectarian remarks about state institutions and Shiite-led governance following the 2003 political transition. However, the Alliance denied the recording's authenticity, calling it "forged." Khamis al-Khanjar is a prominent Sunni political figure and businessman, leading a coalition representing Sunni-majority provinces. He has played a significant role in Iraqi politics, advocating for Sunni interests and engaging in regional diplomacy, including efforts to maintain Iraq's neutrality in the Syrian conflict. Iraq has witnessed a rise in leaked audio recordings targeting political figures, often exposing alleged corruption or sectarian rhetoric. Notable cases include the 2022 leaks attributed to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the 2024 recording involving Yazan al-Jubouri, both prompting judicial investigations.
Shafaq News
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Al-Khanjar on Al-Sudani – Al-Sharaa phone call: Significant gesture
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Khamis al-Khanjar, the leader of Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada) praised the phone call between Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Syrian transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa. In a statement, Al-Khanjar described it as a "significant gesture" to strengthen ties between the two neighboring and brotherly countries. He emphasized that the conversation reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity and condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression against Syria. Moreover, Al-Khanjjar expressed hope that this step would "open wider doors for security, political, and economic cooperation" between the two countries, noting that "some discordant voices" were attempting to hinder the growing rapprochement between Syria and Iraq. "We commend this step and hope it will further open avenues for cooperation, despite attempts by some to disrupt the Syrian-Iraqi rapprochement and undermine the historical fraternal ties between Baghdad and Damascus," Al-Khanjar said. He pointed out that Iraq's foreign policy, based on openness to the Arab world in line with its national interests, enjoys strong support from national forces, particularly the Sovereignty Alliance, adding that "Iraq's sovereignty in decision-making marks a significant milestone in the country's political and international recovery." This phone call between the Iraqi and Syrian leaders marks the first direct conversation at the presidential level between the two countries. Last month, Iraq hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani, who visited Iraq for the first time since the beginning of the transitional phase under President Al-Sharaa.
Shafaq News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Source: Iraq forms crisis cell to secure Syria border
Shafaq News/ Iraq has established a national security crisis cell to monitor developments in Syria and implement measures to safeguard border stability, a government source told Shafaq News on Thursday. The cell operates under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. Its members include Defense Minister Thabet Mohammad Al-Abbasi, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri, Sovereignty Alliance leader Khamis Al-Khanjar, and Iraq's chargé d'affaires in Damascus, Yassin Al-Hujaymi, the source said. The Iraq-Syria border, which stretches over 600 kilometers, requires heightened security measures due to the presence of armed groups near key border cities, the source said, adding that challenges such as border infiltration and smuggling have prompted Iraq to establish a "strategic security center to enhance border management." The source noted that Iraq and Syria both face internal challenges, including sectarian tensions in Iraq and Syria's ongoing civil war, warning that these conditions "create openings for external players to assert influence in the region." Beyond these threats, the strategic geographical position of Iraq and Syria—which connects them to Turkiye, Iran, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon—adds layers of political and security complexities requiring coordinated efforts, he added. The crisis cell's formation follows a series of high-level discussions between Iraqi and Syrian officials. On March 14, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shibani, in Baghdad to discuss mutual security concerns, including ISIS activity. Hussein reaffirmed that the five-nation operations center, agreed upon at the Amman Conference to counter ISIS movements, will be operational soon. Regional security coordination has gained momentum in recent months. Iraq sent Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri to Damascus following the fall of Al-Assad's regime in December 2024 for discussions on counterterrorism coordination and efforts to prevent ISIS from regrouping. A month later, Syria and Jordan signed an agreement to establish a joint border security committee to curb arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and manage refugee movements.
