Latest Updates On Iraq, 17 May 2024

1- Baghdad:
– On March 22, President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Baghdad for the first time in 13 years and was received by Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani.
– On May 3, the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) arrested one of the elements of the ISIS terrorist group in southern Baghdad.
– Deputy Commander of the Joint Operations Command for Iraq Lieutenant General Qais Al-Muhammadawi met with Head of the NATO Mission in Iraq Lieutenant General Nicola Piasente and Commander of the Italian Air Task Force Colonel Paolo Castelli in Baghdad, and emphasized Iraq’s readiness to confront terrorist challenges.

2- Nineveh:
On April 22, the Turkish military base in Bashiqa, located in the Zelikan area north of Mosul, was targeted by four rockets. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

3- Erbil:
– On April 23, Turkish president Erdogan visited Erbil city and met with President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Masoud Barzani.
– On April 23, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government Qubad Talabani announced that he had requested Erdogan to reconsider Ankara’s decision to close the airspace over Sulaymaniyah International Airport. 

4- Diyala:
– On April 23, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command announced that the Iraqi Air Force had targeted ISIS hideouts in Diyala Governorate, resulting in the killing of several ISIS elements.
– On May 4, forces affiliated to the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units arrested one of the field commanders of the ISIS terrorist group in Diyala Governorate.

5- Sulaymaniyah:
– On April 26, the Kormor gas field in the Chamchamal region of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was targeted by a drone attack by unidentified agents, resulting in the deaths of 4 people and the injury of 2 others. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
– On April 27, the US State Department condemned the attack on the Kormor gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, describing it as an affront to Iraq’s sovereignty.

6- Kirkuk:
On May 2, the Iraqi security forces arrested a prominent element of the ISIS terrorist group in Kirkuk Governorate.

7- Saladdin:
On May 16, the Iraqi PMU forces launched a security operation in the eastern regions of Saladin Governorate, with the aim of enhancing security in these areas and pursuing and arresting ISIS elements.

8- On April 20, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued a statement about the launching of several suicide drones towards a vital target in the port of Eilat located in occupied Palestine.

9- On April 21, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued a statement about the attack on the Israeli regime’s positions in the occupied Golan Heights.

10- Despite the announcement by some Western media outlets about the resumption of attacks by Kataib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) of Iraq against US military bases, no statement has been issued by this group so far. Media outlets close to the Iraqi Resistance have also denied this report.

11- On May 3, about 40 trucks belonging to the US-led coalition entered the US bases in Hasaka Governorate, Syria, through the illegal Al-Walid crossing from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

12- On April 22, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler announced the agreement between Iraq and Turkiye to establish a joint operations center, stating that the responsibilities of this center will be determined later.

13- On April 27, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued a statement about the attack on the city of Haifa in occupied Palestine, which was carried out using suicide drones.

14- On May 1, Spokesman for the Iraqi Joint Operations Command Major General Tahseen Al-Khafaji stated that during the recent visit of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to Washington, Iraq’s armament situation was strengthened by a contract to purchase 12 Bell 412 and 407 helicopters.

15- On May 3, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued a statement about the attack on the Israeli regime’s positions in the Dead Sea, located in occupied Palestine.

16- On May 4, the head of the Iraqi Media and Communications Commission announced that the use of the word “Israel” in Iraqi media is prohibited, and instead, the “Zionist regime” or “Zionist usurper regime” should be used.

17- On May 5, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran at the head of a high-ranking delegation and during his stay in Iran, he met and held talks with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, President Ebrahim Raisi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Hossein Salami, and several other senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

18- On May 6, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued two separate statements about drone attacks on the Yuhntan military base and the Leviathan gas facilities in the occupied territories.

19- On May 13, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq launched two new suicide drones named Al-Arfad and attacked an important target in the port of Umm Rashrash (Eilat) located in southern occupied Palestine.

20- On May 14, in a video conference with the Spanish forces deployed in Iraq, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles evaluated their mission as extremely important.