by Jerome CARTILLIER Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — “So this is Conan — right now, probably the world’s most famous dog.” In a stream of superlatives, Donald Trump on Monday introduced to the world the military dog involved in the raid that led to the death of Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “Conan did a fantastic job,” the US president told the White House press corps, assembled for a […]
Tag: Iraq
Iraq protests ramp up, shutting roads, offices and schools
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Protesters in Iraq’s capital and the country’s south shut down streets and government offices in a new wave of civil disobedience Sunday, escalating their month-long movement demanding a wholesale change of the political system. Demonstrations broke out on October 1 in outrage over rampant corruption and unemployment in Iraq. They were met with a violent crackdown that left dozens dead. Since resuming late last month, the protests have swelled again with […]
Iraq PM’s fate on the line as toll from protests rises
by Maya Gebeily BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Iraq’s leaders were intense talks on Wednesday over the ouster of the country’s embattled premier, as a rights commission said the latest week of anti-government demonstrations has left 100 dead. As night fell, the government faced the mounting pressure of swelling protests, pro-Iran figures defending the prime minister and deadly rockets slamming into Baghdad’s Green Zone. The missiles hit a checkpoint near the US embassy, killing one Iraqi […]
IS chief Baghdadi buried at sea by US military
by Paul HANDLEY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US officials have said the body of Islamic State group chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was buried at sea, as fresh details surfaced about the US special forces operation that led to his death over the weekend. Syrian Kurds claimed to be a key source of the intelligence that led Americans to Baghdadi after years of tracking the man behind a five-year reign of […]
DFA to Filipinos: Postpone travel to Iraq
(Eagle News)–The Department of Foreign Affairs is urging Filipinos to postpone their travel to Iraq amid the violent protests in the country. The DFA said if the travel cannot be delayed, however, Filipinos should avoid flights with early morning or late night arrivals in Baghdad, Basra, and the Kurdistan Region. “Curfews are currently imposed in several cities,” the DFA said. According to the agency, Filipinos in Iraq who need assistance may contact the Philippine Embassy […]
Iraq students join protests as pressure on government swells
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Iraqi students joined anti-government protests in Baghdad on Sunday, ramping up the street pressure on Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi who also faced a sit-in and the first resignations from parliament. The capital and country’s south have been rocked by a second wave of demonstrations since Thursday, with protesters digging in despite tear gas, curfews, and violence that has left more than 70 dead. About a dozen schools and universities decided […]
IS head Baghdadi believed dead after US strike in Syria: reports
by Omar Haj Kadour with Paul Handley in Washington Agence France Presse NEAR BARISHA, Syria (AFP) — Jihadist supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the world’s most wanted man, was believed Sunday to have been killed in a US special operation in northwest Syria. The elusive chief of the Islamic State group was thought to be dead after a US military raid in the Idlib region, US media reported early Sunday. The White House announced President […]
157 dead in Iraq protests: new official toll
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — The death toll from week-long anti-government protests that erupted in Baghdad and southern Iraq at the start of October totaled 157, an official inquiry announced Tuesday, ahead of further demonstrations. It also said commanders from across the security forces had been dismissed in the wake of the violence, including from the army, police, anti-terror, anti-riot, anti-crime, intelligence, and national security units. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, in a report […]
Iraqi president urges end to ‘escalation’ after days of deadly protests
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Iraq’s president called Monday for a “halt to escalation” after widespread protests that killed dozens, including an overnight rally in east Baghdad in which the military admitted using “excessive force”. Demonstrations have rocked the capital and Iraq’s southern provinces since Tuesday, first demanding reforms to fight corruption and unemployment but ramping up to calls for a total overhaul of the country’s political system. In a televised address, President Barham Salih appealed […]
Eight protesters dead in Iraq capital clashes: medics, security sources
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Eight protesters were killed in new clashes with security forces in an eastern district of the Iraqi capital on Sunday, medics and security sources told AFP. Demonstrators in several parts of Baghdad’s Shiite stronghold of Sadr City burned tyres and launched fireworks towards the police amassed there, witnesses said, and shots were also heard in the area. The interior ministry had earlier said 104 people were killed, including eight members of […]
Iraqi PM pledges reforms to calm angry protests
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi’s cabinet issued a series of reforms early Sunday after an “extraordinary” session overnight in response to sweeping anti-government rallies that have left nearly 100 dead. Iraqis have gathered in Baghdad and across the south since Tuesday to demand widespread government reforms, which Abdel Mahdi had promised to tackle when he came into power just under a year ago. Early Sunday, his cabinet issued a […]
DFA urges Filipinos in Iraq to stay indoors amid the ongoing unrest
(Eagle News)–The Department of Foreign Affairs has urged Filipinos in Iraq to stay indoors amid the ongoing unrest in the country. In a statement, the DFA also urged them to avoid any movement especially in areas where demonstrations are taking place. The DFA also advised Filipinos to make sure they have enough food and water and to call the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad if they require assistance. “Families in the Philippines are requested to relay […]





