
UK smuggling sanctions target 10 individuals from Iraq, Kurdistan
Iraq eyeing 'sustainable' diversification away from oil: PM advisor
Diyala council seeks to block Qaratapa district upgrade
Iraq's ruling coalition condemns drone attacks on Kurdistan Region
Iraqi parliament fails to discuss drone attacks on Kurdistan Region
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Ten Iraqi nationals, including individuals from the Kurdistan Region, were sanctioned under a new United Kingdom sanctions regime targeting smuggling networks, the British consulate in Erbil said on Wednesday.
The UK announced on Tuesday the launch of what it described as the world's first sanctions regime specifically aimed at smuggling gangs and their facilitators.
'The first designations under the regime, announced today, include 10 Iraqi nationals who have been exploiting and endangering vulnerable people, including from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and threatening the security of the UK and the KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq],' the UK consulate general in Erbil said in a statement seen by Rudaw.
'These sanctions are part of a wider effort, in coordination with international partners, including the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government], to stop this cruel trade and promote regional and international stability,' it added.
The new Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons (GIM) sanctions target individuals and organizations involved in smuggling and trafficking worldwide, including those who fund or enable such activities. Measures include travel bans, asset freezes, and restrictions on access to the UK's financial system.
With these sanctions, the UK government does not have to rely on criminal or counter-terrorism laws. They require less evidence and do not involve the apprehension of the suspect. Criminal law also takes effect after a crime has been committed, while sanctions serve as a proactive tool to disrupt criminal activity and publicize the individuals involved.
'For too long, criminal gangs have been lining their corrupt pockets and preying on the hopes of vulnerable people with impunity as they drive irregular migration to the UK. We will not accept this status quo,' UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement on Tuesday.
'That's why the UK has created the world's first sanctions regime targeted at gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration, as well as their enablers,' he added.
The BBC reported the announcement following a protest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in southeast England's Essex county. The protest was triggered by the arrest of an asylum seeker for alleged sexual assault.
It also reported that around two dozen names of the first batch of targeted individuals will be announced. Per the UK consulate general's statement, it is clear that ten of the individuals are Iraqi nationals, including from the Kurdistan Region.
AFP released the identities of some of them, including several with Kurdish names.
'The first targets will cover a range of wrongdoing, from the supply of small boats being used on cross-Channel journeys, to the trade in fake passports, as well as middlemen facilitating payments through Hawala networks, to the gang leaders themselves,' the British government's statement said.
Hawala networks are an informal and trust-based system for transferring money across borders without physical transfer of money.
Separately, the UK has signed a 'one in, one out' agreement with France, allowing the return of illegal migrants arriving from France in exchange for accepting a set number of legal asylum seekers from France subject to security checks, according to the BBC.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also recently reached agreements with France and Germany aimed at curbing the arrival of small boats.
Thousands of people from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region take on perilous routes towards Europe on a yearly basis in hopes of escaping unemployment, political instability, and corruption.
The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) has previously worked with the KRG against organized crime.
'We maintain a positive relationship with law enforcement partners in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and work with them against a range of shared threats, including organised immigration crime," a spokesperson for the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) press office told Rudaw in November 2024.
Kurdish criminal groups control the increasingly lucrative cross-Channel migration routes, according to the NCA, which said in its 2023 assessment that the groups are mainly based in northern Europe.
Also in November last year, a French court sentenced 18 people, mostly Kurds from the Kurdistan Region, to prison terms of up to 15 years for operating a smuggling network that transported people across the English Channel. In May 2024, Kurdish police in Sulaimani arrested a Kurdish man accused of heading an organized crime group that smuggled people into the UK.
The regime was previously outlined by foreign minister David Lammy in January.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Iraqi MP sounds alarm over catastrophic water shortage
Shafaq News – Babil On Wednesday, an Iraqi MP issued an urgent appeal to Iraq's federal government to rescue Babil province from what he described as a catastrophic water shortage. Residents expressed the concerns in interviews with Shafaq News, voicing alarm over the worsening environmental crisis and its impact on agriculture and daily life. Iraq's drought crisis has reached unprecedented levels due to years of low rainfall driven by climate change, compounded by declining water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The drop in inflows is largely attributed to water policies in Iran and Turkiye, particularly dam construction and the diversion of river courses. Earlier, Forbes magazine warned that Iraq, already among the world's driest countries, faces an unprecedented drought with potentially devastating consequences noting that the country's strategic water reserves have fallen to just 10 billion cubic meters—half the amount needed for the summer and significantly below last year's 20 billion.


Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
International warnings hit Baghdad: Money, oil, mismanagement
Shafaq News Iraq continues to rely heavily on oil revenues to finance its federal budget, a strategy that international organizations and economic experts say puts the country at serious financial risk amid declining global oil prices. In its latest assessment, published in April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that Iraq would require an average oil price of $92.43 per barrel to balance its 2025 national budget. However, current market prices remain under $65 per barrel, well below the break-even point for the oil-dependent country. Foreign Reserves As A Defensive Tool Mudhhir Mohammad Saleh, financial advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, described foreign currency reserves as a 'critical tool' for maintaining the external value of the national currency. Speaking to Shafaq News, Saleh emphasized that the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) uses these reserves to regulate liquidity and stabilize the exchange rate, primarily through a fixed official rate and interventions in the currency market. Saleh explained that the central bank's strategies include sacrificing part of the reserves to meet foreign currency demand or employing domestic debt instruments to absorb excess liquidity via interest rate tools. He also stressed that the monetary authority monitors the efficiency of the reserves through two key metrics: the foreign currency coverage of the money supply — which should not fall below 75% — and the number of import months that reserves can cover, ideally not less than six. 'The global standard is three months,' he added. Reserve Sufficiency, Not Volume, Key To Stability Former CBI director and financial expert Mahmoud Dagher echoed the sentiment, pointing out that the adequacy of reserves is more important than their total size. 'Iraq has what is considered more than one year of reserve adequacy. This is sufficient,' Dagher told Shafaq News. However, he warned that reserves are affected not only by oil prices but also by spending levels. 'Since 2023, government spending has exceeded oil and non-oil revenues, leading to an actual fiscal deficit,' he clarified. Dagher acknowledged a decline in reserves but refuted reports suggesting they had dropped below $70 billion. He projected that due to high expenditures and low oil prices, reserves could decline to $90 billion by the end of 2025. In its report, the IMF also noted that Iraq's non-oil sector has sharply contracted, falling from 18.7% of GDP in 2023 to just 2.5% in 2024 due to reduced public investment. Experts Call For Structural Reforms Economic expert Hilal al-Taan explained to Shafaq News that Iraq's reserves at the CBI are held in foreign currencies such as the US dollar, while gold holdings are largely untouchable under current central bank laws unless in extreme emergencies. Al-Taan stressed that reforms are needed to reduce unnecessary government spending, advocating eliminating 'ghost employees' from public institutions, reducing privileges for senior officials and parliamentarians, and abolishing outdated entitlements such as the 'Rafha pensions' and allowances for members of the defunct National Assembly. He also urged austerity in government purchases, particularly office furniture and luxury vehicles, and proposed downsizing diplomatic missions while promoting local industries and agriculture. Risk Of Relying Solely On Oil Economist Dhirgham Mohammad Ali affirmed that the warnings from international organizations reflect long-standing issues that the Iraqi government itself has acknowledged. 'The government has already recognized the risks of depending solely on oil and is working on alternatives such as the Development Road project, investment in agriculture and industry, and clean energy.' He added that such efforts require time, a supportive environment, and international expertise, especially in strengthening Iraq's banking sector, which he described as the foundation of the broader economy. Ali also highlighted the importance of exchange rate stability to boost confidence in the national currency.


Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Baghdad, IRENA deepen cooperation on sustainable energy
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Wednesday, the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Francesco La Camera, arrived in Baghdad for high-level talks with Iraqi officials on expanding renewable energy cooperation. La Camera met Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to review IRENA's forthcoming assessment report on Iraq's energy transition. Prepared in collaboration with Iraqi institutions, the report outlines national priorities for renewable energy and efficiency. Al-Sudani praised IRENA's support and affirmed the government's commitment to adopting the report's recommendations within national policy frameworks. Later, La Camera met with Electricity Minister Ziyad Fadel, who highlighted major clean energy projects, including the 1,000-megawatt Shams Basra (Basra Sun) solar plant and additional ventures in Karbala, Babylon, and Najaf. Fadel noted that Iraq is coordinating efforts with the Oil and Environment Ministries to cut emissions and meet climate obligations. La Camera welcomed Iraq's progress, calling its solar initiatives a promising step toward sustainable energy development.