Recent Appearances...

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Recent Appearances...

Muqtada al-Sadr	Muqtada al-Sadr	Jimaat-e-Sadr-Thani	Iraq			20030413
	Muqtada al-Sadr	Mahdi Army	Iraq-Jordan	Iraqi	At Large	20050703
	Muqtada al-Sadr	Mehdi Army	Iraq	Iraqi	At Large	20050719

Iraq

Kurdish parties lose majority in Kirkuk provincial polls, Final results announced across Iraq

2023-12-30

[Rudaw] Kurdish political parties failed to maintain their majority in the disputed province of Kirkuk during the mid-December provincial elections, according to final official results announced on Thursday.

Local elections were held in Iraq’s 15 provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region, on December 18. Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced final official results late Thursday.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) gained five seats (157,649 votes) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party

...every time you hear the phrase white people, white supremacy, white anything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word (Thomas) Nasty to the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects...
(KDP) won two seats (52,278 votes) in the 16-seat provincial council, according to the results.

The Kurdish New Generation won 25,910 votes but failed to secure a seat. The party has been accused by the other two Kurdish parties of jeopardizing a Kurdish victory in the province - a claim disputed by the movement.

Arabs gained six seats and Turkmens won two seats. A party close to Shiite militia groups, won the Christian quota seat.

In the last polls held in the province nearly two decades ago, Kurdish parties had won most of the council’s seats.

The councils were dissolved in 2019 in response to demands by Tishreen protesters who criticized the system for its failures, including enabling corruption.

Kurds took control of Kirkuk when it was attacked by the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) in 2014. However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster...
Iraqi federal forces expelled Kurdish forces from the province after an independence referendum was held in the province by Kurdish authorities in 2017.

Final electoral results from Iraq's provincial council elections announced

[Rudaw] Iraq's electoral commission on Thursday announced the final results of the latest local elections.

Local elections were held in Iraq’s 15 provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region, on 18 December. Preliminary results representing 94 percent of the votes were announced the following day. The last provincial council elections took place in 2013, without Kirkuk.

According to Iraq's electoral body, 26 million people were eligible to vote.

The overall voter turnout reached 41 percent, higher than the parliamentary elections in 2021 despite the boycott by influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Kirkuk province recorded the highest turnout across all the provinces with 66 percent of eligible voters casting ballots, numbering over 566,000.

The councils were dissolved in 2019 in response to demands by Tishreen protesters who criticized the system for its failures and for enabling corruption.

According to final results of the votes from Iraq’s provincial council elections the main winning parties in each province are the following:

Kirkuk province:
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan: 5 seats

Salahaddin province:
Jamahir Party: 5 seats
National Framework Alliance: 2 seats
Al-Azm: 2 seats
Democratic Party : 2 seats

Anbar province:
Taqadum: 6 seats
Anbar Is Our Identity: 3 seats
Qimam Alliance: 2 seats

Nineveh province:
Nineveh For Its People: 5 seats
Kurdistan Democratic Party: 4 seats
National Contract Alliance: 3 seats

Baghdad province:
State of Law Coalition: 9 seats
We Build Alliance: 9 seats
Taqadum Party: 8 seats

Diyala province:
Diyalatuna al-Watani Alliance: 4 seats
Taqadum Party: 3 seats
Sovereignty: 3 seats
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan: 1 seat

Wasit province:
Wasit Ajmal Alliance: 7 seats
We Build Alliance: 2 seats
State of Law Coalition: 2 seats

Karbala province:
Ibdaa’ Karbala Alliance: 7 seats
State of Law Coalition: 2 seats
We Build Alliance: 2 seats

Najaf province:
We Build Alliance: 3 seats
State of Law Coalition: 3 seats
Wafah Movement: 2 seats

Maysan province:
We Build Alliance: 6 seats
State of Law Coalition: 3 seats
The National State Forces Alliance: 3 seats

Muthana province:
State of Law Coalition: 3 seats
The National State Forces Alliance: 3 seats
We Build Alliance: 3 seats

Dhi Qar province:
We Build Alliance: 5 seats
State of Law Coalition: 4 seats
The National State Forces Alliance: 2 seats

Babil province:
We Build Alliance: 4 seats
State of Law Coalition: 3 seats
The National State Forces Alliance: 3 seats

Diwaniya province:
We Build Alliance: 4 seats
State of Law Coalition: 3 seats
Qiyam Alliance: 3 seats

Basra province:
Tasmim Alliance: 12 seats
We Build Alliance: 5 seats
State of Law Coalition: 3 seats

Link

Iraq

Top Shiite politicians consolidate grip on power in Iraq’s local elections

2023-12-24

[Rudaw] Iraq’s former prime minister and a pro-Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate ~~Jews~~ ~~Zionists~~ Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
politician emerged as the main winners of Monday’s provincial elections in Iraq, according to official preliminary results.

The State of Law Coalition, led by former premier Nouri al-Maliki, gained most of the votes in Muthana province. It emerged second in Wasit, Najaf, Diwaniyah, Karbala, Maysan and Dhi Qar provinces and third in the oil-rich Basra as well as in the capital city of Baghdad, announced the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) in a presser on Tuesday.

The We Build Alliance, headed by Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the pro-Iran Badr Organization, performed extremely well in the polls. The alliance garnered most of the votes in Najaf, Diwaniyah, Babil, Maysan, and Dhi Qar province. It emerged as second in Basra and Baghdad provinces and third in Wasit, Karbala and Muthana provinces, according to the official preliminary results by the IHEC.

The IHEC announced that the results represented 94 percent of the counted votes.

Both Shiite alliances are among the main backers of Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s cabinet.

Maliki was the third winner of the 2021 parliamentary vote and Amiri was the fifth.

Moqtada Tater al-Sadr
...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He had his hereditary rival al-Khoei assassinated shortly after the holy rival's appearance out of exile in 2003. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, lately he's gagged over some of their more outlandish antics, then went back to catspawry...
, whose Sadrist Movement, gained most of the seats in the parliamentary poll but later withdrew from the political scene boycotted Monday’s polls after labeling them as "corrupt elections." However,
a person who gets all wrapped up in himself makes a mighty small package...
he called on his supporters not to attack the process.

The main Shiite winner in the elections is the National State Forces Alliance which includes Ammar al-Hakim’s National Wisdom Movement and former prime minister Haider al-Abadi’s Victory Party.

The overall voter turnout reached 41 percent, higher than the parliamentary elections in 2021 despite the boycott by influential holy man Sadr.

The councils were dissolved in 2019 in response to demands by Tishreen protesters who criticized the system for its failures and for enabling corruption. After several delays, the election date was set for December 18.

Iraq's long-anticipated provincial elections took place in 15 provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region. The last provincial council elections took place in 2013, without Kirkuk.

The provincial councils were created by the 2005 Iraqi constitution following the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime. They hold significant power, including setting budgets for several key sectors such as education, health, and transport, but are accused of being rife with corruption.

Link

Iraq

Al-Sadr To Bow Out of Forthcoming Provincial Elections: Source

2023-05-22

Governing is hard work. Much better to swan around in the background as a kingmaker-slash-wise man.

The leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, has chosen to refrain from taking part in the upcoming provincial council elections expected to be held later this year, an insider says. #Sadr #election #Iraq

Read more: https://t.co/mUMUSwecFi pic.twitter.com/T6D7EYoD4x
— SHAFAQ News (@Shafaqnews) May 21, 2023

The leader of the Sadrist movement, Moqtada Tater al-Sadr
Moqtada <q>Tater</q> al-Sadr

...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He had his hereditary rival al-Khoei assassinated shortly after the holy rival's appearance out of exile in 2003. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, lately he's gagged over some of their more outlandish antics, then went back to catspawry...
, has chosen to refrain from taking part in the upcoming provincial council elections expected to be held later this year, an insider revealed on Sunday.

The confidant, who wished to remain unnamed, told Shafaq News Agency, "al-Sadr has relayed to the inner circle that he has decided against the Sadrist Movement participating in the provincial council elections."

"The clergyman will not back any roster, directly or indirectly," the source added.

The influential Shiite holy man has yet to make a firm stand on the Sadrists' involvement in the subsequent parliamentary elections, leaving open the question of whether the Movement would boycott or participate in those elections.

"There are ongoing efforts by those close to al-Sadr to dissuade him from abstaining from the local elections," the source commented.

In an early election held on October 10, 2021, the Sadrist bloc emerged victorious with 73 seats under its name. Along with Kurdish and Sunni parties, it forged the largest parliamentary bloc, known as the "Trilateral Coalition". However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
they failed to elect the president, who would, in turn, commission the candidate of the largest bloc to form the government.

In late March 2022, al-Sadr announced his withdrawal from the government formation process, allowing the Coordination Framework to take up this task. By June, al-Sadr had requested members of the Sadrist bloc to tender their resignations from the Council of Representatives. Days later, the maverick politician entered a state of political seclusion, vowing not to participate in any future elections.

Link

International-UN-NGOs

The UN Secretary General is all smiles meeting in Baghdad with the grinning terrorist Qais Khazali

2023-03-02

[Twitter]

The UN Secretary General is all smiles meeting in Baghdad with the grinning terrorist Qais Khazali, who killed hundreds of US troops, murdered 1000s of Iraqis, & routinely bombards US personnel in Iraq & Syria. pic.twitter.com/Gtt9k739KO
— Joel Rayburn (@joel_rayburn) March 1, 2023

Qais Khazali is the leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq — League of the Righteous a.k.a. the Khazali Network — one of the Iranian catspaw paramilitary groups that make up the PMF and since 2017 also a Shiite political party beholden to Iran. Mr. Khazali and his followers split off from Muqtada al Sadr’s Mahdi Army in 2004, and have claimed responsibility for over 6,000 attacks on Coalition forces in 2006-2011 alone, resulting in hundreds of American casualties. Their favoured tactic was the roadside IED.

Link

Iraq

On the rearmament of the Iraqi Air Force and the possible transfer of aircraft to Ukraine

2023-02-16

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited

Commentary by Russian military correspondent Rybar. Link to article supplied by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin
[ColonelCassad] Recently, the American media reported about Iraq's plans to replace the fleet of Mi-17 transport helicopters with US and Japanese-made Bell 412s. The reason allegedly was the lack of spare parts for equipment from Russia, which makes it difficult to operate.

Problems with components in the Iraqi Air Force began long before the NWO. At the beginning of 2021, for this reason, not only the Su-25 attack aircraft, but also the Chinese CH-4 attack drones turned out to be completely incapacitated.

However, under the current conditions, the United States can additionally encourage the authorities in Baghdad to abandon Russian-made aircraft in order to then transfer it to Ukraine. Earlier, the Americans did the same with Afghan Mi-17s.

What else can the Iraqi Air Force send to the APU?

In addition to 19 Mi-8/17 multi-purpose helicopters, the local air forces also have about 20 Mi-35M attack helicopters in their arsenal. The equipment is relatively new and was purchased after the American invasion in 2003.

In theory, all the Su-25s received in Russia and Belarus can also go to Ukraine. In 2014-2017, the country's armed forces intensively used them for fire support of ground forces in battles with IS, but for several years the aircraft have been on the ground and have not been used in any way.

The Iraqi Air Force also has a dozen modern Mi-28N/UB attack helicopters. However, their transfer to the Armed Forces of Ukraine is extremely unlikely due to the impossibility of training flight crews and potential huge difficulties in finding components.

So, in Baghdad, will they really give all this to Ukraine?

At first glance, the Iraqis really benefit from getting rid of Russian-made aircraft. Problems with its maintenance did not begin yesterday and will only get worse, and the fleet of combat-ready boards will decrease even when other vehicles are dismantled for spare parts.

But even in such a situation, several pitfalls await Iraq:

➖The United States does not seek to supply modern helicopters and aircraft to the country. At best, cars of a different class will be sent to Baghdad, at worst, outright illiquid assets. So, instead of the Mi-17, they want to give the Iraqis the light Bell 412, which, although they can carry guided missiles, but have a much lower carrying capacity.

➖The transfer of aircraft to Ukraine may be hindered by pro-Iranian and opposition forces, such as supporters of the odious Ayatollah Muqtada al-Sadr. They will try to play on the feelings of the population and expose competitors as US puppets, exacerbating the already serious political crisis in the country.

➖Given the broad support of the RF Armed Forces and the NMD among the pro-Iranian groups, the very fact of official support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the Iraqi authorities on the direct instructions of the United States will serve as a powerful pretext for popular discontent.

Therefore, with a high probability, the authorities in Baghdad, even if they do not refuse the offer from Washington, will engage in ordinary eastern bargaining in order to get the most favorable conditions.

The process will be delayed, and it is quite possible that the Iraqis will eventually limit themselves to the transfer of not the largest batch of vehicles.

Nevertheless, the example of attempts to achieve the rearmament of the Iraqi air fleet is indicative in itself and clearly demonstrates the desire of the United States to collect equipment everywhere for its subsequent transfer to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

And in the near future the Americans will obviously make similar proposals to other states. For example, in Latin America: there are just so far untouched stocks of Soviet and Russian weapons.

https://t.me/rybar/43585 - zinc

Link

Iraq

A leading figure in the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement pits al-Sudani against al-Maliki: source

2023-01-30

[SHAFAQ] A leading figure in the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement has pitted Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani against a patron of the Shiite Coordination Framework, a source from inside the mainly Iran-backed Shiite consortium revealed on Sunday.

According to the source, Prime Minister al-Sudani nominated the officer in charge of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq's organizations in al-Karkh, Mohannad Shaker, for the upcoming governorate Council elections.

"Al-Maliki, who deems himself the Coordination Framework's leader and the patron of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement, was not pleased with the move," the source said, "al-Maliki wants to keep the nomination power exclusive to himself, and such a moved is a mutiny from his point of view."

"Al-Sudani, and some of the Framework's leaders share his view, rejects al-Maliki's monopoly," the source continued.

"Purportedly, the leader of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement, the villainous-looking Qais al-Khazali

......sinister-looking Iranian stooge, Secretary General of Persian proxy militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq, wannabe Nasrallah......
, stands at the midpoint, but he signaled an unpronounced backing to al-Sudani by forming a list along with other members of the Coordination Framework," the source said.

Al-Sudani's ties with the Coordination Framework have always been marred by sporadic disagreements. On January 28, 2022, al-Sudani made a set of decisions without consulting the Coordination Framework's commission, which unnerved al-Maliki and other leaders.

Link

Good Morning

2022-09-24

Four Ukraine regions controlled by Russia and pro-Moscow forces have started door to door referendums on Friday on joining Russia

Saturday September 24th, 2022

Four Ukraine regions controlled by Russia and pro-Moscow forces have started door to door referendums on Friday on joining Russia

Diana Rigg 622.

Iranian embassy in Baghdad denies allegations that Tehran had canceled the Iranian residency of prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr		Al-Khazali: al-Sudani is ready to give up his candidacy to end the crisis
Turkish aircraft target forces affiliated with PKK in Sinjar, which isn't in Turkey		ISWAP Claims Responsibility For Attack On Nigerian Police Checkpoint In Edo
Nigerian Army Arrests Two Suspected Terrorists Withdrawing N14Million Inside A Bank		ISWAP Terrorist Group Says It Killed Two Nigerian Soldiers During Attack On Military Checkpoint In Ex-Army Chief, Buratai's Town

Second woman who sabotaged the Dakota
Access Pipeline is sentenced to six years in prison

Link

Iraq

Iranian embassy in Baghdad denies allegations that Tehran had canceled the Iranian residency of prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr

2022-09-24

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

The Iranian embassy in #Baghdad denied allegations that #Tehran had canceled the Iranian residency of prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his family.

The embassy denied in a statement, "such desperate attempts to spoil relations" between #Iraq and #Iran.
— SHAFAQ News (@Shafaqnews) September 23, 2022

Link

Iraq

Saraya al-Salam (The Peace Companies), Tahseen al-Hamidawi, signaled utmost readiness to ''defend the homeland and doctrine'' against ''any emergency'', pledging allegiance to the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr.

2022-09-21

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

The General Commander of Saraya al-Salam (The #Peace Companies), Tahseen al-Hamidawi, signaled utmost readiness to "defend the #homeland and #doctrine" against "any #emergency", pledging allegiance to the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr.#Iraq #sadr #politics
— SHAFAQ News (@Shafaqnews) September 20, 2022

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Khamenei appears in public after nearly two weeks

2022-09-19

Apparently he’s not yet dead after all. But perhaps he is still suffering...

[An Nahar] Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...
has spoken to students in person after being out of the public eye for nearly two weeks.

Khamenei, 83, who normally speaks while sitting down, gave a seven-minute speech at the Imam Khomeini Hosseinieh, or congregation hall, in the capital of Tehran while standing.

Khamenei called the pilgrimage of some 2 million Iranians to the Iraqi city of Karbala for the Arbaeen religious observance a "miraculous move," his website reported.

Link

Iraq

al-Sadr invites October demonstrators to the Green Zone's sit-in

2022-08-08

In a phone call, al-Sadr invites October demonstrators to the Green Zone's sit-inhttps://t.co/6mQ3H4LfIN
— SHAFAQ News (@Shafaqnews) August 7, 2022

Link

Iraq

Chaos in Iraq as followers of firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr storm parliament twice in two days

2022-07-31

Protesters storm Baghdad Parliament to protest formation of new government they claim is backed by Iran

They are followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led 2004 insurgency against US and British troops

Iraqi security forces used tear gas and sound bombs to try to repel them with at least 125 people injured

Demonstrators call for government 'free of corruption and foreign influence' that plagued Iraq for decades
You’re in Iraq, guys — do be realistic.

Link

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