Iraq’s Political Parties Prepping to Cheat In November Election

Iraq’s parliamentary elections are a month away and already the media is full of stories of the political parties cheating as happens every time votes are cast.

Islamic State Makes A Rare Appearance In Iraq In August

 

The Islamic State has largely disappeared from Iraq. In August it made a rare appearance.

Pro-Iran Groups Escalate Attacks Upon Kurds In July 2025

 

Iraq’s pro-Iran Resistance escalated its campaign against the Kurds in July with two dozen incidents. The Islamic State also made a rare appearance during the month.

Security In Iraq Jan 15-21, 2025

The Islamic State remains dormant in Iraq during the new year. Some old ordinance exploded leading to casualties and there was a clash with the security forces during a security sweep in January.

Iraq’s Islamic Resistance Records New High In Attacks Upon Israel In Sep 2024

September’s security news was dominated by attacks by the Iraqi Islamic Resistance. The Islamic State was also active during the month but still at a low level.

Security In Iraq Sep 15-21, 2024

Both the Islamic State and the Iraqi Islamic Resistance carried out operations during the third week of September in Iraq. Both are trying to make their presence known but at a very low level.

Islamic State Continues To Fade In Iraq While Pro-Iran Groups Restart Attacks In April 2024

April was dominated by attacks by pro-Iran groups. The Islamic State on the other hand almost disappeared.

Security In Iraq, Apr 1-7, 2024

The Islamic State has gone back to barely being active in Iraq. Pro-Iran groups continue to claim drone strikes on Israel.

New Provincial Govts In Iraq After Dec Election

 

Most of the new provincial governments in Iraq were decided in February. The Coordination Framework took most of the governors as expected because their main rival Muqtada al-Sadr boycotted. The list did not have its way however.

Islamic State Picked Up Attacks In Iraq While Pro-Iran Groups Maintained Campaign Against US And Israel

The Islamic State has been increasing its attacks in Iraq in the last 3 months but they are still insignificant. Pro-Iran groups on the other hand have kept up a steady pace of operations against the U.S. and Israel over the Gaza War.

Security In Iraq Jan 8-14, 2024

Violence remained largely the same in Iraq during the second week of January. Both the Islamic State and pro-Iran groups were active in the country.

Final Results For Iraq’s Provincial Elections

(Wikipedia)

The final results of Iraq’s provincial elections have been announced. The ruling Coordination Framework won the most seats and wants to control the south. That will put it into conflict with several governors that won the most votes in their governorates. On the other hand the Kurds misplayed their hand running separately because the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) wanted to dominate the community.

Pro-Iran Groups Continue Their Campaign Against US Forces In Iraq In Dec

Pro-Iran groups which are part of the Iraqi government’s Hashd al-Shaabi forces continued their offensive against US forces in December. The Islamic State was present as well but barely carried out any attacks.

Coordination Framework Looks To Take Control Of Most Of Iraq’s Provinces

As expected the ruling Coordination Framework was the biggest winner in Iraq’s 2023 provincial elections. Even though it ran as three separate lists, Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law, Hadi Amiri’s Nabni, and Haidar al-Abadi and Ammar Hakim’s National State Forces Alliance, they won the most seats up for grabs on governorate councils. They will now re-unite and attempt to control most of Iraq’s provinces solidifying their hold on the Iraqi state.

Security In Iraq Dec 8-14, 2023

During the second week of December the Islamic State made two rare appearances in Iraq while pro-Iran Hashd groups continued their attacks upon U.S. targets.

Security In Iraq Dec 1-7, 2023

The Islamic State continues to disappear in Iraq but pro-Iran factions are continuing their campaign against US targets in the country over the war in Gaza.

Pro-Iran Groups Continue To Target Americans In Iraq Throughout November 2023

 

November’s security news in Iraq was dominated by pro-Iran groups attacking Iraqi bases that housed U.S. troops over the Gaza War. The Islamic State on the other hand continued its decline in the country although it did carry out one deadly attack.

Norwegian Refugee Council Reports Climate Crisis In Iraq Getting Worse

Farmer in Baaj, Ninewa looking at what used to be farmland (Norwegian Refugee Council)

Iraq’s environmental crisis continues to worsen with no end in sight. The Norwegian Refugee Council just released a new report which provides more details on the situation.

Security In Iraq Nov 8-14, 2023

The Islamic State is back to work in Iraq in November but still at a very low level. Pro-Iran groups are far more active carrying out regular attacks upon U.S. forces to protest the Gaza War.

The Islamic State’s Failed Comeback In Iraq

On December 9, 2017, Prime Minister Haidar Abadi declared victory over the Islamic State in Iraq. The group was already organizing for a comeback at that moment. From 2018-2022 it seemed like IS was succeeding. It was carrying out a steady pace of attacks including its annual offensives. It drove out thousands of people from rural villages in several provinces to establish bases. It was bringing in men and material from Syria. In 2023 everything fell apart. This is the story of how the Islamic State’s attempted comeback failed.