Iraq says 14 ISIS members killed in airstrikes Iraqi forces said ISIS leaders were among those killed in the desert strikes, as discussions on the US troop presence in the country and the group’s persistence in neighboring Syria continue. Iraq
Iraq downs Turkish drone over airspace violation, army says The statement comes less than two weeks after Ankara and Baghdad signed a security cooperation deal, and as Turkish officials are preparing to host Iraqi, Emirati and Qatari officials for a major trade corridor project that will connect Iraq and Turkey. Turkey
Turkey to host Iraq, Qatar, UAE officials for Development Road summit The estimated $20 billion project was formalized during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit in April to Baghdad and will link Basra to Turkey via a rail and road network. Turkey
Saudi FM makes unannounced visit to Iraq, meets Sudani: What we know Saudi Arabia and Gulf states are showing increasing interest in Iran-dominated Iraq. Iraq
Analysis Turkey’s security pact with Iraq: Which side came out on top? By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Exclusive From mountaintops to underground: PKK responds to Turkey’s drones By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Explainer: How Iraq planted the seeds for China's Saudi-Iran deal Iran and Saudi Arabia finalized their negotiations in Beijing after five sessions of mediation in Baghdad since 2019. Gulf
Questions linger as US-backed Kurd forces say Iraq chopper crash victims were theirs The Syrian Democratic Forces said two helicopters carrying its elite forces had crashed en route to Sulaiymaniyah. Iraq
'You don’t solve issues by running away,' says Iraq's KRG PM Masrour Barzani, in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, discusses the dispute with the rival PUK party; relations with the US and Iraq; China; and the KRG’s ambitious economic reform and climate policies. Iraq
Iraqi Kurdish officials say PKK militants killed in chopper crash near Turkey border No one has yet claimed any connection to a helicopter that crashed in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Wednesday night, killing seven people. Turkey
'No pretext to delay' Iraqi Kurdistan parliament elections, says Masoud Barzani Iraqi Kurdish leader, in exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, cites "positive atmosphere" of budget talks, discusses prospects for oil law, relations with the United States, Iran, China and issues affecting the Kurdish people in Iraq and the region. Iraq
'Iraq is not an Islamic country': Minorities protest Baghdad's alcohol ban as unconstitutional The Iraqi government's renewed effort to prohibit alcohol is not only worrisome for Christian and Yazidi minorities, but also raises constitutionality questions. Iraq
MidEast freedom rankings: Syria worst, Tunisia in decline, says Freedom House Syria remains to be the least and Israel the best performing country when it comes civil and political freedoms while the biggest one-year decline has been observed in Tunisia. Turkey
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin talks troop presence in surprise Iraq visit Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is playing a delicate balancing act with pro-Iran factions as Washington keeps a low profile for its military advisers in Iraq in order to subdue the Islamic State. Iraq
Saudi TV series about Islamic history triggers Iraq’s sectarian divide The Saudi-based MBC media group’s announcement that it would broadcast a TV series about a controversial figure in Islamic history, Mu'awiya bin Abi Sufyan, has faced strong backlash from Shiites in Iraq and the region. Gulf
Iraq rolls out new plan to reduce chronic Baghdad traffic Successive Iraqi governments have tried but failed to address the problem of traffic in the capital. Sudani's plan involves building new bridges and overpasses. Iraq
Artistic heart of Iraq's Kurdistan thrives, but wants more public engagement Sulaimaniyah, often called the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s “culture capital,” has become something of a haven for artists, though obstacles remain for the vibrant and self-sustaining artistic center they envision. Iraq
In shift away from US dollar, Iraq to allow trade with China in yuan Some countries in the region are increasingly looking away from the dollar. Iraq