The news around Iraq from April 18 to April 24

Press review. In last week’s headlines : Iraq condemns Turkey’s invasion and refuses to accept its self-defence justification, independent opposition blocs call for a session in May to elect the Iraqi President, the British judiciary authorises the extradition of Julian Assange to the US where he could face trial for releasing confidential documents on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, water supplies have been halved in Iraq, Kurdish and Iraqi leaders unite in support of the re-election of Emmanuel Macron...

The news around Iraq from April 11 to April 17 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: Turkey launches a new military operation against the PKK in northern Iraq, the Islamic State organisation calls for attacks in Europe after the assassination of their leader, Mustafa al-Kazimi hopes for a new US-Iran nuclear deal, pro-Iranian Shiite parties reject Sadr's proposal to form a government within 40 days while the US interferes, and Iranian and Iraqi foreign ministers meet in Tehran...

The news around Iraq from 4 to 10 April 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: two members of the Islamic State sentenced to death for planning a deadly attack in Baghdad in 2021, the foreign ministers of the Arab League meet their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, Russia suspended from the UN Human Rights Council yet Iraq abstains on the vote, a report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ranks Iraq amongst the countries most threatened by climate change.

The news around Iraq from April 25 to May 1 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: another sandstorm hits Iraq, the Turkish military operation “Claw-Lock” leaves dozens dead in the ranks of Turkey and the PKK, the Iraqi political stalemate continues, six missiles target a refinery in Erbil, the Iraqi Integrity Commission describes the degree of corruption in government institutions as “high and unacceptable”...

The news around Iraq from 2 to 8 May 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: one death and hundreds hospitalised due to a new sandstorm in Iraq, Moqtada al-Sadr gives the Legislative Assembly 15 days to break the political deadlock, the YBS -armed group - linked to the PKK and allied to the Popular Mobilisation forces - forced to withdraw from Sinjar following an Iraqi offensive against the Yazidi self-defence militia, according to US intelligence Iranian-backed militias have collaborated with the PKK against the Turkish military presence...

The news around Iraq from May 16 till May 22, 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: A French Consul to Mosul nominated for the first time since 1956, Moqtada al-Sadr rules out the possibility to sign an agreement with the Shiites rival blocs, another sandstorm in Iraq and tens individuals hospitalised due to breathing difficulties, the UN special envoy to Iraq alarms the Security Council on the critical situation in the country, the Iraqi Kurdistan region reinforces its budget to buy medical supplies and G.W. Bush’s tongue slip on the war in Iraq…

“Men in Black,” a tale about life in Mosul under Daesh's rule

In his first novel combining historic reality, documentary, testimonials and fiction, Quentin Bordes, former humanitarian worker in the NGO Acted based in Iraq and a with a degree in International Relations, traces the religious obscurantism’s rise to power in Mosul in 2014, as well as its reign and fall in 2017.

The news around Iraq from May 23 till May 29 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: France and Iraq want to reinforce their energy cooperation, Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation with Massoud Barzani, seven Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with the PKK in five days in Iraq, an Iraqi close to Daesh was arrested for preparing an assassination against George W. Bush, a second summit meeting between the major Kurdish parties: the KDP and the PUK took place and the shadow of Israel looms over the assassination of Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaï in Iraq...

The news around Iraq from the 30th of May to the 5th of June 2022

Press review. In last week’s headlines: Kurdistan refuses to concede the exploitation rights of its gas and oil to Baghdad, a new US ambassador to Iraq is appointed, a mysterious city of a disappeared empire emerges from under the Tigris, five rockets fired at an international coalition’s base in western Iraq, some 50 suspected Daesh members handed over to Iraq by the Democratic Security Forces, fear of a new haemorrhagic fever epidemic in southern Iraq...

The Kurdish issue, a national and trans-state movement

The Kurdish population, first dispersed in several empires and then contemporary States, is currently the world’s biggest stateless nation. To try to understand this, we were pleased to interview one of the most eminent experts on the topic. Hamit Bozarslan, Doctor of History and Political Science, Director of Studies at the EHSS (School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences). His research topics are varied, History of contemporary Turkey, the Kurdish issue, minorities of the Middle East, sociology of violence in this region. It is one of the most complex issues in the Middle East, for one reason alone: the Kurds are present in four States, namely Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Iran. However, each of these States rejects to varying degrees the Kurds’ aspirations for independence or even autonomy. In all, between 30 and 40 million men and women are affected by the Kurdish issue, which, of course, concerns the entire region.