IRAQ

BAGHDAD / WASHINGTON, D.C. — Iraq’s parliament is moving toward a vote on a controversial bill that would formalize the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as a permanent arm of the state, a step the United States warns could cement Iranian influence in Baghdad’s security apparatus. The draft legislation — which…

SAN DIEGO / BAGHDAD — Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian candidate Dunia Akram Shaba has accused Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) of disqualifying her from the 11 November 2025, parliamentary elections under pressure from armed factions associated with Rayan al-Kildani that claim to represent Christians. Rayan al-Kildani is the head of the Babylon…

ANKAWA, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — The Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union (Huyodo d’Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA) has strongly condemned the arrest of Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (Cûlanewey Newey Nwê, NGM), who was detained on 12 August in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) on undisclosed charges. A…

BARTELLA, Iraq — The Bartella office of the Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union (Huyodo Athroyo d’Bethnahrin, HBA) held a memorial on 12 August 2025, to mark the 12th anniversary of the arrest and forced disappearance of activist and comrade Saeed Hanna Malki by the Baathist regime of Bashar al-Assad. The evening…

MOSUL, Iraq — In a gesture imbued with deep religious and historical significance, Father Benedict Kiely, founder of Nasarean.org, a charitable organization dedicated to aiding persecuted Christians, formally presented a specially commissioned icon to Syriac Catholic Archbishop Mosul Benedict Younan Hano. The icon will be enshrined in a newly built…

ANKAWA, Iraq — In a move highlighting the strong ties and ongoing efforts to strengthen relations among Christian Churches, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East Mar Awa III Royel received the Charge d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature (Embassy of the Holy See/Vatican) to the Republic of Iraq, Rev.…

BAGHDAD / SHIGUR, Iraq — As Nineveh Plains continues its long road to recovery from years of conflict, local authorities and reconstruction teams are working with renewed urgency to restore infrastructure and rebuild communities. In a series of intensive meetings, the Head of the Fund for the Reconstruction of Areas…

BAGHDEDA, Beth Nahrin – In a solemn and reflective assembly that bridged historical tragedy with contemporary suffering, the Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union party (Huyodo Beth Nahrain Athroyo, HBA) convened a dialogue session in Baghdeda, Nineveh Plain, on Saturday, August 9, 2025. The event focused on commemorating the profound tragedies endured…

BAGHDAD — In a new escalation highlighting the deep divisions over armed groups in Iraq, the Iran-backed militia Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades (Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada) rejected Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s call to end all armed groups operating outside state control. The militia’s spokesperson, Kazem al-Fartousi, insisted that putting weapons exclusively…

BAGHDAD — In an unprecedented move, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has excluded Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian candidates from the parliamentary track, igniting widespread debate over disqualification criteria and its implications on minorities’ representation.  The decision affected Issam Behnam Matti, the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian candidate representing the Christian quota in Nineveh Governorate. Matti Yakub, district mayor…