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Al-Sisi and UK national security adviser discuss terrorism
Egyptian president and UK official address security and threats of terrorism, Al-Sisi receives letter from the British PM
Checkpoint blasts kill 15 in northern Iraq: official
AFP – A roadside bomb followed by a suicide bomber detonating an explosives-rigged truck at a police checkpoint in northern Iraq killed 15 people on Monday, a local official said. The official, Shallal Abdul Baban, told AFP the blasts in Tuz Khurmatu also wounded 115 people and caused “great destruction”. The police checkpoint that was …
Bomb attacks on Kurd party kill 17 in latest Iraq unrest
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, though suicide bombings are a tactic mainly employed by Sunni Muslim militants in Iraq.
Jihadists seize hostages at campus in Iraq’s Ramadi
The attack came a day after violence, including heavy fighting between militants and security forces and twin suicide bombings targeting a minority group, killed at least 36 people in the northern province of Nineveh.
Nine dead in Iraq attacks as unrest spikes
South of Baghdad, a roadside bomb near a secondary school in Mahmudiyah killed a male pupil, and a car bomb near a Shi’a mosque in Iskandiriyah killed two people.
Baghdad bombs against Shi’a kill 25
At least nine car bombs went off throughout the morning, when the city is typically gridlocked.
ISIL slams Qaeda chief, refuses to quit Syria
AFP – A powerful jihadist group battling Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria has sharply criticised the global terror network’s leader in a statement, rejecting his call for them to leave the war-ravaged country. The audio recording, purportedly made by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant spokesman Abu Mohammed Al-Adnani, also urged Ayman Al-Zawahiri to remove …
Some improvements for Syrian refugees in Egypt: UNHCR Egypt
Foreign ministry stresses need for international cooperation to assist with Syrian refugee crisis
New arrivals on the shelves
New arrivals this month dive into love in post-conflict Iraq and the life of the famed author Taha Hussein
States hosting Syrian refugees near ‘breaking point’
UNHCR, ministers stress the need for a political solution to ease Syrian humanitarian crisis
Iraq violence kills over 30 people in 24 hours
The bloodshed comes as officials count ballots from the 30 April general election, the first since US troops withdrew in late 2011, and amid a protracted surge in nationwide unrest that has sparked fears of a return to the sectarian killing sprees of 2006-2007.
Iraq attacks kill 20 as security forces cast ballots
The bombings in Baghdad and north and west Iraq raise serious concerns about the ability of the country’s security forces to protect voters during Wednesday’s general election,
Five key questions on Iraq’s election
AFP – Five key questions about Iraq’s general election on Wednesday. Who are the candidates? 9,039 candidates from 277 political blocs are standing for a seat in the 328-strong parliament. More than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, with 48,796 polling stations nationwide. Tribal allegiances and sectarian affiliations play a key role in voting. …
Factfile on Iraq
AFP – Basic facts about Iraq, where the first parliamentary election since 2010 will be held on Wednesday amid the country’s worst violence in years. Geography: Bordered by Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kuwait, Iraq has a narrow outlet to the sea on the Gulf, and a surface area of 438,317 square kilometres …
Key dates in Iraq since US 2003 invasion
AFP – Iraq, where legislative elections take place on Wednesday, has for more than a year seen an upsurge of violence. The unrest has been principally driven by anger in the Sunni Arab community over alleged mistreatment at the hands of the Shi’a-led government and security forces, as well as a spillover from the civil …
Key players in Iraq’s election
Profiles of five key players
Iraqis vote with violence high and tensions rising
The month-long campaign has seen Baghdad and other cities plastered with posters and decked out in bunting
Iraq attacks kill 12 as soldiers ambush militants
AFP- Attacks in Iraq left 12 people dead Tuesday while security forces said they killed 25 militants near Baghdad amid worries insurgents are encroaching on the capital weeks ahead of elections. The latest violence is part of a protracted surge in nationwide bloodshed that has left more than 2,400 people dead since the start of …
ISIL jihadists open new front in Baghdad push
Group inspired by Al-Qaeda
Election posters adorn Baghdad as campaigning begins
Posters went up around Baghdad and across the country as candidates vie for one of 328 parliamentary seats.
Russia’s Lukoil begins output from giant Iraq oilfield
Reuters – Russia’s Lukoil began commercial production from one of the world’s largest untapped oilfields in Iraq on Saturday, as the country raises output to record levels. Production from the giant West Qurna-2 is eventually expected to reach 1.2m barrels per day (bpd), from an initial 120,000 bpd. The field is one of several that …
Syria rebels seize key area on Turkey border: NGO
The air raids come a day after a Syrian warplane was shot down by Ankara’s jets in an incident slammed as “flagrant aggression” by Damascus.
One dead as pro-, anti-Damascus gunmen clash in Beirut
AFP – A firefight between pro- and anti-Damascus factions in Beirut killed one gunman and wounded 13 Sunday, a security official said, in the latest spillover of the conflict in neighbouring Syria. The gun battle raged from 3am to 8.30am (0100 to 0630 GMT) in a poor Sunni Muslim district in the south of the …
AB Maritime to launch Basra-Dubai line – Al Souob
By Rehab Saber Arab Bridge Maritime (AB Maritime ) plans to launch a maritime line joining Basra in southern Iraq and the UAE by hiring two passenger ferries with an initial cost of $2m annually, AB Managing Director Hussien Al Souob said. AB Maritime intends to buy the two ferries if the new line proves …
As Syria war enters fourth year, regime eyes victory
For now, neither side seems to have the means to win decisively a conflict that has cost more than 140,000 lives and displaced nearly half Syria’s population, many of them now refugees.
Iraq forces battle militants, other violence kills 10
Violence has surged to a level not seen since 2008, when Iraq was just emerging from a brutal period of sectarian killings in which tens of thousands died.
Six members of security forces killed in Iraq
Sunday’s violence mostly targeting security forces in Sunni-majority areas killed six people, security and medical officials said.
Total looking at building big petrochemical unit in Iraq
Total wants to boost its refinery and chemicals activities in the Middle East and Asia, where it sees better long-term prospects than in Europe, where competition is pressuring margins.
Under US pressure, Iraq denies Iran arms deals
AFP – Iraq, facing heavy pressure from the United States, has denied signing deals for weapons and ammunition with Iran in apparent violation of international sanctions. The defence ministry said a variety of international firms had sought to supply Iraq with ammunition and night vision equipment, including one company from Iran. But contrary to media …
Attacks kill seven Iraq security personnel
AFP – Attacks in Iraq, including a suicide bombing near the Anbar provincial council headquarters, killed seven soldiers and police on Tuesday, officials said. In Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle near the provincial council headquarters, killing three soldiers and wounding at least four. Anti-government fighters have occupied …