Political
May 16, 2015
Massoud Barzani and Abdul-Mehdi discuss the situation in Iraq and resolving differences between Baghdad and Kurdistan
Erbil: Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani, discussed on Thursday with Iraq’s Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mehdi, the relationship between the Kurdish Region and Iraq’s federal government and the developments in the political situation in the whole of Iraq. ninanews.com
Germany sends Peshmerga 60 million Euros in military aid
Erbil: The German government has sent weapons and military equipment to Kurdish forces costing 60 million Euros, the country’s defense minister said on Saturday. nrttv.com
May 17, 2015
Kurdish MP: The Kurd ministers will not boycott Iraq’s federal government
Baghdad: MP for the Kurdistan Alliance, Sherko Mirza confirmed that the Kurd ministers in Iraq’s federal government will not boycott the government and they are continuing their work. Sharpres.com
Kurdistan: US weapon will be send to Kurdistan soon
Erbil: The chief of staff at the presidency of the Kurdistan Region, Fouad Hussein confirmed on Sunday that Washington promised to send quality weapons to Peshmerga forces soon, and described the visit of Kurdistan president, Massoud Barzani to the United States as “very successful”, pointed out that the US officials understand the situation of the region especially in its war against Islamic State militants. shafaaq.com
May 18, 2015
Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) inaugurated its Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC)
Erbil: Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Interior inaugurated on Sunday its Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC), mandated by the Council of Ministers in January 2015. krg.org
Baghdad decide against Kurdish military commanders
Baghdad: Baghdad authority decides to downgrade and remove 500 Kurdish military Generals and commanders who graduated from Kurdistan region army and police academies and colleges. milletpress.com
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May 19, 2015
Finland to send 50 soldiers to Iraqi Kurdistan to train Kurdish forces fighting against Islamic State
Erbil - Helsinki: Finland is going to sent about 50 soldiers to Iraq’s Kurdistan Region for training Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting against the Islamic State (IS).Xendan.org
Kurdistan President hold a meeting with Kurdish political parties on outcome of visit to Washington
Erbil: Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani met with the leaders and representatives of Kurdistan Region’s political parties in Salahaddin today to brief them on the outcome of his successful official visit to Washington, D.C., in particular about his meetings with President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House.krp.org
It’s time to compensate mistake of creating Iraq: Kemal Kirkuki
Erbil: A leading member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) political office and former Kurdistan parliament speaker Kemal Kirkuki stated it is time to compensate for establishing the state of Iraq and stressed on the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in the north of Iraq. Sbeiy.com
May 20, 2015
Massoud Barzani to visit Jordan and Russia
Erbil: Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani will visit Jordan Thursday to participate in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, which will be held at the Dead Sea on May 21st-23rd. Barzani will follow that engagement next month, when he visits Russia to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, between 18th -20th of Jun. xebat.com
May 21, 2015
European Union to open office in Kurdistan capital: EU official
Erbil: Ambassador Jana Hybaskova, the head of the European Union delegation to Iraq, stated Wednesday that the EU would open a representative office in Erbil, the capital city of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region.Basnews.com
Minister: Iraqi PM Abadi did not keep promise over article 140
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Baghdad: The Minister of State in the Iraqi government, Saman Abdulla, stated that Iraqi PM Abadi promised to complete Article 140 procedure within one year of his duty but the year has passed and he even didn’t make the first step toward this major issue. milletpress.com
Iraqi government expels Shiite Kurdish families to Kurdistan
Erbil: Local government officials in the central Iraqi province of Karbala have ordered Kurdish Shiite families, who fled to the city, to leave as soon as possible. The families came from various areas of Nineveh Province in northern Iraq. The families were temporarily placed in hotels in the city, funded by the Iraqi Ministry of Immigration. basnews.com
Kurdistan Region needs further support for IDPs and refugees
Erbil: The Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, has been struggling to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to an overwhelming number of Iraqi internally displaced persons, IDPs, and Syrian refugees. gov.krd
May 22, 2015
Kurdish President Barzani met King Abdullah of Jordan
Amman: Iraq’s Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani met with King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman Thursday.Krp.org
Turkey wants to open consulate offices in Kirkuk and Basra
Baghdad: The Turkish Ambassador to Iraq has discussed the opening of Turkish consulates in Kirkuk and Basra in southern Iraq, with the Iraqi Foreign Minister. basnews.com
May 23, 2015
Massoud Barzani met with Abdulfatah Al-Sisi at the World Economic Forum on ME in Jordan
Amman: Iraq’s Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani participated in the opening session of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in the Dead Sea Friday and later held meetings with a number of leaders from the region.krp.org
Security
May 15, 2015
Peshmerga attacked Islamic State bases close to Kurdistan capital
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Erbil: Kurdish artillery from the Peshmerga forces have launched attacks on Islamic State IS positions on the Gwer frontlines south of Erbil, a Peshmerga commander told Rudaw. rudaw.net
Islamic State blows up 15 houses in Mosul belongs to Kurds
Mosul: Islamic State group (IS) militants blew up on Thursday 15 houses east of Mosul belonging to Kurdish Shabak citizens. milletpress.com
May 18, 2015
Thousands of Yazidis still in Islamic State hands despite daily rescue efforts
Duhok: At least 4,500 Yazidis are still in IS captivity despite the rescue of thousands of others, according to the Office of Yazidi Affairs in Duhok. Kurdio.ocm
Peshmerga repulsed Islamic State assault northwest of Mosul
Erbil: Kurdish Peshmerga forces backed by coalition airstrikes repulsed an Islamic State (IS) assault on a main road northwest of Mosul, killing several militants, a Peshmerga commander told Rudaw on Sunday. Rudaw.net
Alleged terrorist group arrested in Erbil
Erbil: A group of six alleged terrorists have been detained by Kurdish security forces in Kurdistan capital city of Erbil the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) announced in a Monday statement. Basnews.com
May 19, 2015
Finland to send 50 soldiers to Iraqi Kurdistan to train Kurdish forces fighting against Islamic State
Erbil - Helsinki: Finland is going to sent about 50 soldiers to Iraq’s Kurdistan Region for training Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting against the Islamic State (IS).Xendan.org
Islamic State militants launched attack on Peshmerga near Mosul
Slemani: Islamic State (IS) militants launched an attack on Kurdish Peshmerga forces near the Mosul Dam on Tuesday, a Kurdish commander said. Nrttv.com
Two Iraqi Kurdish Yazidi women escaped from Islamic State slavery
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Two Iraqi Kurdish Yazidi women managed to escape Islamic State IS captivity and reached Jazeera province, in Syrian Kurdistan under control of Kurdish security YPG forces. milletpress.com
May 20, 2015
Islamic State terror cell busted in Kirkuk
Kirkuk: A group of Islamic State-linked suspects were arrested with explosives in Kirkuk and are thought to have been planning attacks on civilians, Brigadier Sarhad Qadir, Kirkuk police chief, told Kirkuknow on Wednesday. Kirkunow.com
Roadmap to be prepared for liberation day in Shingal
Erbil: Policies for the reconstruction of a warzone are usually only made after the area is liberated, causing a delay in implementing necessary measures. Rudaw.net
May 21, 2015
Apache helicopters hammer Islamic State on Makhmour front
Erbil: A strike team of Apache helicopters from the US-led coalition launched a successful assault on Islamic State group (IS) positions early on Thursday which inflicted heavy damage on the extremists, a Peshmerga official has told Rudaw. rudaw.net
Economy
May 15, 2015
Baghdad acknowledges receiving more than 15 million barrels of oil from Kurdistan
Baghdad: Parliamentary Oil and Energy Commission affiliated to Iraq’s Federal Ministry of Oil acknowledged officially receiving more than 15 million barrels of oil from Kurdistan Regional Government KRG last April at a rate of export a daily amount of 505 thousand barrels of oil, while showed that the figure announced by the Federal Ministry is of 13.5 million barrels Oil is related to the sold quantity. shafaaq.com
Iraqi government employs 54,000 with small share of Kurdish graduates
Baghdad: Iraq’s federal government decided to appoint 54,000 graduates in health sector from all Iraqi cities but only giving very small percentage to Kurds.lvinpress.com
May 17, 2015
KRG’s disbursements decrease by four trillion dinars
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Erbil: The Ministry of Finance and Economy in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on Sunday, a reduction in the level of government disbursements last year amounted to more than four trillion dinars after the submission of the final accounts compared to 2013. shafaaq.com
Iran to open trade center in Iraqi Kurdistan capital, Erbil
Erbil: Iran has signed a contract to launch a trade center in the Kurdistan Region capital Erbil. Hawlernewpaper.com
General
May 15, 2015
University of Sulaimaniyah condemns murder of lecturer
Slemani: University of Sulaimaniyah released a statement condemning the killing of a faculty member and asking security authority to bring the murderers in to justice. Knnc.com
May 18, 2015
KDP nominates Arabs and Turkmen for Kirkuk university president which is Kurds share
Kirkuk: According to the last election outcome, Kirkuk governorate management posts are divided among all the ethnic and religious groups of the city and within this agreement the post of Kirkuk University President is for Kurdish candidates. milletpress.com
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