Author: Al Marhidis

Iraqi security announced that 14 foreigners who tried to infiltrate Iraqi borders have been arrested, Rudaw News reported. A statement issued by the Iraqi Intelligence Service revealed that intelligence officers arrested 14 foreigners after receiving accurate information and following efforts to pursue smuggling networks. The statement illustrated that intelligence officers arrested the suspects while they were on their way to the border governorate of Basra, coming from one of the neighboring countries, without naming the country. The required legal measures will be taken against the suspects, the statement added. Infiltration into Iraq from the Iranian borders has increased recently, urging…

Iran and Iraq have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in implementing oil industry projects, the Shana News Agency affiliated to the Iranian Oil Ministry reported on Thursday. The deal was signed by Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji and his Iraqi counterpart Hayan Abdel-Ghani at the end of a meeting attended by the two ministers as well as Iraq’s Prime Minister Shia’ al-Sudani in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Wednesday night, the report said. Speaking at the meeting, Owji highlighted the necessity of expanding Iran’s cooperation with Iraq in the energy sector. The two sides discussed bilateral…

The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has killed a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who was allegedly designing and manufacturing drones for the group, in a cross-border operation in northern Iraq, the state-run TRT broadcaster reported on Tuesday. Turkish intelligence “neutralized” Tekin Okan, also known by the codename “Deniz Bahri,” in the Gara region of northern Iraq, the TRT quoted anonymous security sources as saying. Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralized” to imply that “terrorists” are killed, wounded, or captured in security operations. Tekin reportedly carried out the drone attacks in Türkiye’s Sirnak province in 2018,…

Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) killed a senior member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in a cross-border operation in northern Iraq, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported on Thursday. Türkiye’s intelligence “neutralized” Ahmet Gumus, a training officer of PKK, in an operation in Gara, the agency reported. Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralized” to imply that “terrorists” are killed, wounded, or captured in security operations. Gumus served as the bodyguard of Murat Karayilan, one of the PKK leaders, participated in the attacks on several police stations in Türkiye, gave expert assassination training to PKK members, and took part…

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that it is working to evacuate its nationals from Sudan, where clashes continued for a ninth day. “We are working to achieve a very urgent response, and the safety of our community is a top priority,” ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf said in a statement. The ministry has succeeded in evacuating “14 Iraqi citizens from Khartoum to a safe place in the Port Sudan area. We continue our efforts to evacuate the remaining individuals,” according to al-Sahaf, noting that there are about 300 Iraqis in Sudan. Clashes between the Sudanese army and the…

Four Islamic State (IS) militants were killed Tuesday in an airstrike on IS hideouts in Iraq’s northern province of Kirkuk, the Iraqi military said. Based on intelligence reports, the Iraqi warplanes conducted an airstrike in the rugged area of Wadi al-Shay, southwest of the namesake provincial capital Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, according to a statement issued by the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command. The airstrike resulted in the killing of four IS terrorists and the destruction of their hideouts, the statement added. The security situation in Iraq has improved…

Iraq’s Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that its intelligence agency had arrested four militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) in the northern province of Nineveh, including a “dangerous leader.” The militants were found to have engaged in terrorist operations against security forces, according to a statement by the ministry. No further details were provided regarding the timing of the arrests or the names of the militants. However, one of the arrested individuals was identified as a leader of IS who had been active in Diyala, Kirkuk, and Nineveh provinces, the statement added. In recent months, Iraqi security forces have…

Turkish airspace is closed for flights to and from Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah airport for three months due to the activities of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the region, Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. “Turkish airspace has been closed to aircraft, which land/take-off at Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah International Airport, as of 3 April,” said spokesperson Tanju Bilgic in a statement. The decision was taken upon the “intensification” of PKK’s activities in Sulaymaniyah in the east of the Kurdistan region of Iraq and “infiltration by the terrorist organization into the airport and thus threatening flight safety,” Bilgic said. The ban…

Three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in airstrikes in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala, a security source said on Saturday. Iraqi warplanes on Friday carried out airstrikes on IS hideouts in the northern part of Diyala, destroying the hideouts and killing three IS militants, Major Alaa al-Saadi from Diyala police told Xinhua. The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, its remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians despite repeated military operations against them.

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced on May 21 that Iraqi banks must adhere to new regulations on prepaid cards, where their credit limit is not more than 10 million Iraqi dinars (nearly 764 dollars) or its equivalent in other currencies, according to a statement cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA). The CBI confirmed that the limits for the monthly recharge of prepaid cards will not exceed 10 million dinars, indicating that it is not responsible for rejecting any recharge operation for cards exceeding the limit of the balance mentioned in the statement, INA reported. The statement elaborated…