Latest news with #Ba'athist
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iraq arrests 40 over alleged baathist plots, sectarian incitement
Also in Iraq Iraq cannot control militias attacking Kurdistan Region, says MP Iraq records 16 new cases of Crimean-Congo fever Iraqi parliament to convene on Kurdistan Region drone attacks PM Barzani says Baghdad added new condition to finance agreement A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Forty people suspected of spreading Ba'athist ideologies of former dictator Saddam Hussein's regime and planning sabotage attacks have been arrested, Iraqi security forces announced on Sunday. 'Security detachments carried out qualitative operations that resulted in the arrest of 40 suspects involved in managing and financing sectarian content and seeking to carry out sabotage operations,' the Iraqi National Security Agency (INSS) said in a statement. The law criminalizing the promotion of the Baath Party in Iraq was activated on July 30, 2016. It criminalized membership in, and promotion of, the dissolved Ba'ath party in Iraq, as well as any similar groups or ideologies 'These misguided elements resorted to false rhetoric that promoted the banned Ba'athist regime as a cover for marketing their dead dreams and inciting against the state,' the security agency added. A clandestine cyber group called 'Brigade 66' which is managed from outside the country and spreads Ba'athist ideologies was also monitored. 'Some of them [the suspects] confessed to receiving guidance and support from fugitive elements outside the country,' the INSS said. The Arab Socialist Baath Party ruled Iraq from 1968 until it was toppled in 2003 by a United States-led invasion that removed its leader, Hussein. The party has since been banned under Article 7 of the Iraqi constitution, which outlaws adopting, glorifying, or promoting the symbols and propaganda of the former regime. Hussein's oppressive regime was responsible for numerous crimes against humanity, including the Anfal genocide against the Kurds. The campaign reached its deadliest point in 1988 with the Halabja chemical attack, which killed around 5,000 people and injured 10,000 more. The dictator was executed in 2006 after being sentenced to death in a separate case for the killing of 148 Shiites. His trial on charges related to the Anfal genocide was still ongoing at the time of his execution.
Shafaq News
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Al-Maliki: Iraq must strengthen its state and security institutions
Shafaq News – Baghdad Nouri al-Maliki, the head of the State of Law Coalition, emphasized the need for Iraq to become a strong state capable of defending its sovereignty, warning that regional conflicts could eventually impact Iraq. In a statement released by his media office to mark the Islamic month of Muharram and the commemoration of Ashura, al-Maliki said that true reform should go beyond political slogans, 'It must involve a strategic framework that tackles weaknesses in state institutions, promotes social justice, improves living standards, provides essential services, and creates employment opportunities. These are legitimate rights of the people—not a favor from anyone or a political bargaining chip.' Al-Maliki also stressed the importance of conducting an urgent review of Iraq's security and military institutions to ensure they are capable of maintaining political, social, and security stability, and of defending the country from external threats. Referring to escalating regional tensions, he pointed out, 'Today, as the region undergoes dangerous transformations, and with the Israeli wars rolling from Gaza to Lebanon, then Syria, and now threatening the Islamic Republic [of Iran], Iraq will not remain immune.' 'Iraq must be a strong state, equipped with all means to defend its sovereignty, people, and sacred sites.' Al-Maliki concluded by noting that while global powers possess all forms of strength, Iraq must aspire to reach a similar level—not for aggression, as in the era of the former Ba'athist regime—but to safeguard its sovereignty, rights, and the higher interests of the Iraqi people.
Saba Yemen
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Iran: Commander of "Abuzar" Brigade, Five of His Comrades Martyred
Tehran - Saba: The Iranian Army announced on Sunday evening that the commander of the 71st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (Abuzar), Brigadier General Ali Hossein Mohammadi, and five of his comrades martyred during a defensive mission on the country's western border. The Iranian Army's Public Relations stated that Brigadier General Mohammadi and his comrades were martyred while repelling an air attack launched by the usurping Zionist entity using drones on the "Naft Shahr" region. The Iranian Tasnim News Agency quoted the Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces, Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari, as saying that these heroes bravely confronted the aggression until the last breath, stressing that "the 71st "Abuzar" Brigade has been a symbol of resistance and courage since the days of the Sacred Defense, as it was the first and last brigade to confront the attacks of the Ba'athist enemy at that time." Brigadier General Heidari added, "The sons of this brave brigade, as in the past, today wrote another heroic epic in defense of the Islamic Republic, and ascended to the rank of martyrdom while confronting the treacherous aggression carried out by the criminal Zionist regime's drones." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Iraqi News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Halabja's new dawn: Governorate status brings hope and challenges to the historic city
Baghdad ( – After nearly four decades scarred by the horrific 1988 chemical attack and a subsequent 12-year political struggle, the Iraqi Kurdish city of Halabja has officially become Iraq's 19th governorate, and the fourth within the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. The Iraqi Parliament's decision in mid-April 2025 grants this city, synonymous with one of the modern era's most heinous crimes, a new administrative status. This is seen by many as long-overdue recognition and a potential catalyst for development, yet it also heralds fresh political and security complexities. The name Halabja is seared into global memory by the Ba'athist regime's chemical bombardment in March 1988, during the final months of the Iran-Iraq war, which killed an estimated 5,000 civilians, mostly women and children, and injured up to 10,000 more. The long-term effects on health and the environment have plagued the city for generations. The journey to governorate status began with a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) decision in 2013, followed by a KRG parliamentary vote in 2015. However, federal recognition was repeatedly stalled by intricate political bargaining in Baghdad, often linking Halabja's case to demands for creating other new governorates in disputed or ethnically mixed areas like Tel Afar and Tuz Khurmatu. During these years of political limbo, Halabja suffered from economic decline, high unemployment, and significant out-migration as residents sought opportunities elsewhere. The new governorate status unlocks significant potential: dedicated annual budgets, thousands of new administrative and security positions, direct federal allocations for resources like medicine and fuel, and enhanced prospects for investment across various sectors including housing, industry, commerce, entertainment, and vital services. In a groundbreaking development, Ms. Nukhsha Saleh has been appointed as Halabja's governor, making her the first female governor in Iraq's modern history. However, these new entitlements are expected to intensify internal Kurdish political competition. Traditionally, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) holds sway in Erbil and Duhok, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) dominates Sulaymaniyah. Halabja, previously administered under Sulaymaniyah, now joins it as a PUK-influenced governorate, potentially recalibrating the power dynamics between the two main Kurdish parties. Furthermore, Halabja's strategic location bordering Iran, with key trade crossings like Shushmi-Tawila and Bashta, positions it as a potential new arena for regional influence—a common feature across Kurdistan, which navigates Turkish military presence and Iranian political interests. Developing its tourist areas will also require careful management to avoid political corruption. The elevation of Halabja to a governorate is undoubtedly a momentous occasion, offering a chance for healing, development, and empowerment. Yet, its future will be shaped by how these new opportunities are managed amidst existing political rivalries and complex security undercurrents. True progress will require genuine commitment from both federal and regional governments, robust local governance, and continued international support to ensure this city of martyrs not only remembers its painful past but builds a resilient and prosperous future, free from the shadows that have long loomed over it. The hope is that Halabja's new beginning truly places it on the map of recovered and thriving cities, rather than entangling it further in escalating power struggles.
NDTV
14-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Global Terrorist To Syrian President: Trump-Al-Sharaa Meet Scripts History
Quick Reads Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Donald Trump met Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia. Al-Sharaa, formerly a UN-designated terrorist, now leads Syria's new regime. Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in place since 1979. Riyadh: Donald Trump, who is on a whirlwind visit to the Middle East, has scripted history when he met Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia today. Of all his meetings and interactions, this meeting by President Trump was arguably the most significant and has reshaped the geopolitical landscape in central and west Asia. WHY HEADS TURNED GLOBALLY The first reason why heads turned when President Trump met President al-Sharaa is because of the latter's questionable background. Till very recently Ahmad al-Sharaa was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jawlani (also spelt al-Golani or al-Joulani) - a UN-proscribed and US-designated terrorist. Over the last two decades Al-Jawlani held key positions in global terror organisations like Al Qaeda and ISIS. According to the United Nations Security Council's 'ISIS and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee', in July 2013, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani was declared a global terrorist for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating acts of terror". FROM GLOBAL TERRORIST TO SYRIA'S PRESIDENT According to the UN Security Council sanctions committee, he was also held guilty for "supplying, selling or transferring arms" as well as "recruiting for" Al Qaeda and ISIS. He coordinated directly with then Al Qaeda chief Aiman al-Zawahiri and later with then ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (who also went by the name Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali Al-Badri Al-Samarrai). In 2011, the year of the uprising in Syria against the Russia and Iran-backed Assad regime, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi instructed Al-Jawlani to establish a front for the Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria by developing a local presence. In 2012, Al-Jawlani founded the Al-Nusrah Front (also known as Jabhat al-Nusrah), officially known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham - a UN-designated terrorist group which officially became Al Qaeda's offshoot in Syria. By now, the uprising in Syria, which began in 2011 with peaceful protests, had turned into a revolution, with mass protests against the Ba'athist dictatorship of then President Bashar al-Assad. TARGETING RUSSIA AND IRAN-BACKED ASSAD REGIME In 2017, the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham rebranded itself as the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham or HTS. It's principal objective was to overthrow the Assad regime led by Bashar al-Assad and establish an Islamic Caliphate. Over the years the revolution in Syria turned into an armed conflict, before escalating into a full-blown civil war, slowly gaining ground across the country. In November 2024, in a sudden and massive offensive, spearheaded by Al-Jawlani's HTS, the Assad regime rapidly lost major ground, including its stronghold cities. On December 8, 2024, Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia and the Assad regime collapsed after 53 years of ruling the country with an iron fist. Moscow could not come to Bashar Assad's rescue in Syria because most of Russia's military was committed on the Ukrainian front. HTS chief Al-Jawlani declared victory, and was appointed interim President of Syria in January. He then officially assumed his current name Ahmad al-Sharaa. US MAKES INROADS IN SYRIA The second reason why Donald Trump's meeting with Ahmad al-Sharaa raised eyebrows was because the US President announced that he is lifting all sanctions imposed on Syria, which have been in place since 1979. According to the US Department of State, sanctions were imposed on Syria and the Assad regime in 1979 after the country was designated "a State Sponsor of Terrorism" for providing "political and military support to various terrorist groups". "The regime continued to provide weapons and political support to Hezbollah (Hizballah) and continued to allow Iran to rearm and finance the terrorist organisation," it said. THE ROLE OF SAUDI ARABIA AND CROWN PRINCE MBS The third reason that gained global attention was that it was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who suggested and arranged the meeting between President Trump and President al-Sharaa. After the meeting, Donald Trump acknowledged that the Saudi royal played a crucial role in the decisions made today. Besides all sanctions being raised, Donald Trump's meeting, followed by a statement by the White House makes it clear that the United States has recognised and legitamised the new regime in Syria. President Trump said, "Syria deserves a chance at peace under al-Sharaa" as the two heads of states met. A closed-door meeting then commenced, during which, President Trump encouraged President Al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people. The US President also urged his Syrian counterpart to sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel, and expel all foreign terrorists from Syria. Today, President Trump, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. President Erdogan of Turkey joined by phone. President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi… — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 14, 2025 THE TURKEY EQUATION AND BACKING FROM THE GULF The fourth reason why the meeting assumed significance for Asia, was because Turkey's President Erdogan joined Donald Trump and Syria's al-Sharaa over a phone call during their meeting. Several Gulf nations have also put their weight behind Syria's new regime, viewing it as a possible counterweight to Iran, with Tehran-backed Assad now confined to the history books. ISRAEL'S CAUTION TO THE US Israel isn't pleased with US' recognition of Ahmad al-Sharaa as Syrian President. Tel Aviv has cautioned Washington against giving legitimacy to the new government due to its terror background. But with sanctions being lifted and today's historic meeting, a new era has begun in the Middle East (Gulf) and West Asia. Ahmad al-Sharaa's meteoric rise from a UN-designated global terrorist to Syria's new President - now with formal ties with America - is perhaps the most astonishing turnarounds in geopolitical history. Syria's Foreign Ministry has hailed Donald Trump's announcement today as a "pivotal turning point" in the country's journey. A statement released by their foreign office said, "The removal of these sanctions offers a vital opportunity for Syria to pursue stability, self-sufficiency and meaningful national reconstruction, led by and for the Syrian people."
