The Latest Breaking News from Iraq

Iraq’s second largest lake drying up, turning up dead fish

Iraq’s Razzaza Lake was once a tourist attraction known for its beautiful scenery and an abundance of fish that locals depended on

The Independent UK · Feb 22, 2022

‘I feel free when I run’: the young women enjoying a sense of freedom in Iraq

Displaced Iraqi girls stuck in camps are getting a taste of independence by running, hiking and kickboxing, thanks to a programme teaching them about sport and confidence

The Guardian - UK · Feb 22, 2022

Iraq, a hotbed of wildlife trafficking: Surge in demand sparks fear for endangered species

Decades of conflict has made Iraq a hotbed for trafficking. From weapons to drugs, Iraq has dominated headlines. However, less attention has been focused on the trafficking of wild animals. In fact, the Middle East is considered one of the hubs of animal trafficking. Our correspondent in Iraq, Lucile Wassermann,…

France 24 · Feb 22, 2022

British army veterans denied treatment for brain injuries

They have seizures and brain damage but the MoD insists their illnesses are psychological. Now scans could help thousands of soldiers who have been misdiagnosed

The Guardian - UK · Feb 20, 2022

Travel Ban Imposed on Iraq Finance Minister amid Dispute with Sadr

Criticism by Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi against Sadrist movement leader cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Deputy parliament Speaker Hakim al-Zamili has sparked wide debate in the country. It marked the first time a minister openly criticizes Sadr, who enjoys a very loyal support base in the millions in Baghdad…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 20, 2022

U.S. man charged with torturing a worker in Iraq's Kurdistan region

A Pennsylvania man has been charged by U.S. federal prosecutors with torturing an employee at a construction project that the defendant was managing in Iraq's Kurdistan region in 2015 after the worker raised concerns about a program to produce weapons parts.

Reuters · Feb 18, 2022

Iraqis Queue for Petrol in Mosul amid Shortages

Motorists in Iraq's main northern city of Mosul queued for hours on Friday to fill up their cars with petrol, with authorities blaming shortages on smuggling to the nearby Kurdistan region. For the past week, long lines have formed at petrol stations in Mosul and the rest of Nineveh province,…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 18, 2022

Iraq's Sadr Confronted with Iran's Opposition to 'Tripartite Alliance'

Head of the Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is carefully wading through the Iraqi political ring against his rivals in the pro-Iran Coordination Framework. Iraq has witnessed a turbulent past two weeks with former minister Hoshyar Zebari being barred from running for president and the Supreme Court's surprise ruling on…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 18, 2022

Iraqi President Calls for Comprehensive Dialogue between Baghdad, Erbil

Iraqi President Barham Salih stressed on Thursday the need to launch "serious and immediate" dialogue between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region government in wake of the Supreme Court's ruling on the region's oil policy. A surprise ruling by the court on Tuesday cast doubt on the…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 18, 2022

Rising number of children detained in Iraq over national security concerns and suspected Isis links, UN says

More than 1,000 minors – some as young as nine – are behind bars in Iraq, the United Nations says

The Independent UK · Feb 17, 2022