The Latest Breaking News from Baghdad

Arabic Oud Icon Seeks to 'Change Soul' of Iraq

Long uprooted from his native Iraq, Naseer Shamma, an icon of the Arabic oud, has returned home to help rekindle the flame of Iraqi music, snuffed out by decades of conflict. "When you are in your own country, you feel very high emotions with the audience," the master string player…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jan 19, 2022

Iraq faces growing violence as political rift deepens

Series of attacks this week underscore challenges to forming gov’ away from ethno-sectarian power-sharing arrangement.

Al Jazeera · Jan 18, 2022

Anticipating Militia Attacks, Iraqi Security on Maximum Alert in Baghdad

Iraqi security authorities have announced a state of maximum alert as they anticipate armed attacks in Baghdad and other cities. Hours after the visit of the commander of the Iranian “Quds Force,” Ismail Qaani, armed factions held several meetings to discuss “mechanisms to stop Muqtada al-Sadr’s project of forming a…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jan 18, 2022