A member of Peshmerga forces (click here) shows his ink-stained finger during Kurds independence referendum in Sheikh Amir village, Iraq September 25, 2017.
I told you so. Long time ago. I told you so. Long before there was a Manafort, I stated the artificial borders of Iraq would not survive. This should have been anticipated and planned. Instead, it is a mess.
September 29, 2017
By Rudaw
Erbil, Kurdistan Region – The Iraqi-imposed ban (click here) on international flights to and from the Kurdistan Region will not affect military aircraft, the chief of Erbil International airport told reporters on Friday, just hours before the ban came into effect.
Talar Faeq said Erbil airport has always been under the supervision of Iraqi civil aviation and has fully complied with all requirements and instructions from the Iraqi authorities.
“We do not understand yet what are the things the airport has not implemented,” Faeq said, noting that Iraqi authorities have failed to point out any irregularities.
She said civil aviation is meant to be an independent institution, not dragged into political matters.
“Why this issue came out only now?” she asked.
Talar Faeq said Erbil airport has always been under the supervision of Iraqi civil aviation and has fully complied with all requirements and instructions from the Iraqi authorities.
“We do not understand yet what are the things the airport has not implemented,” Faeq said, noting that Iraqi authorities have failed to point out any irregularities.
She said civil aviation is meant to be an independent institution, not dragged into political matters.
“Why this issue came out only now?” she asked.
Iraq’s defense ministry has denied that they have deployed forces to take control of border gates between the Kurdistan Region and neighbouring countries.
A statement published by Iraq’s Joint of Command, however, hinted that such a plan is in place....
Iran has plenty of oil for southern Iraq. There better not be any attempts to begin another stupid war! International jets are flying in and out of the Kurdish region. This requires diplomacy. I find it very interesting, considering this is the Kurds, Turkey is actually landing it's passenger jets. That is amazing.
September 28, 2017
By Ari Khalidi
The airline's statement came the same day Turkey's Consulate General in the Kurdish capital of Erbil warned that Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and AtlasGlobal were to halt flights by Friday 18:00 local time.
“All our scheduled flights to the two cities of Erbil and Sulaimania will be carried out as planned,” the airline said, reported Anadolu news Agency.
The privately-owned Pegasus airline stated they were in talks with the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority regarding their flights to Sulaimania and Erbil.
"We will be posting news of any further announcements regarding these flights on our website," a press release read....
Undated picture shows a general view of the Erbil International Airport, Erbil, Kurdistan Region
This is still important and Anbar is still suffering. The death of Daesh is the most important battle for Iraq.
September 26, 2017
By Christopher Woody
The formal end (click here) of the fight against ISIS in Mosul in July was heralded as a triumph, wresting Iraq's second-biggest city away from the terrorist group after nine months of intense and destructive fighting.
But ISIS has held on to pockets of territory in Iraq.
On August 19, Iraqi forces launched an assault on ISIS in Tal Afar, a town west of Mosul. By the end of the month, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was again declaring victory.
While the town of Tal Afar is much smaller than Mosul, they were both urban environments. The ISIS-held territory that remains — around Hawija in north-central Iraq and in western Anbar province — are more rural areas....
A statement published by Iraq’s Joint of Command, however, hinted that such a plan is in place....
Iran has plenty of oil for southern Iraq. There better not be any attempts to begin another stupid war! International jets are flying in and out of the Kurdish region. This requires diplomacy. I find it very interesting, considering this is the Kurds, Turkey is actually landing it's passenger jets. That is amazing.
By Ari Khalidi
Erbil, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) - The national flag carrier of Turkey, (click here) Turkish Airlines, on Wednesday announced it is to resume its flights to and out of the Kurdistan Region's airports, despite a ban the Iraqi federal authorities imposed this week.
The airline's statement came the same day Turkey's Consulate General in the Kurdish capital of Erbil warned that Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and AtlasGlobal were to halt flights by Friday 18:00 local time.
“All our scheduled flights to the two cities of Erbil and Sulaimania will be carried out as planned,” the airline said, reported Anadolu news Agency.
The privately-owned Pegasus airline stated they were in talks with the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority regarding their flights to Sulaimania and Erbil.
"We will be posting news of any further announcements regarding these flights on our website," a press release read....
This is still important and Anbar is still suffering. The death of Daesh is the most important battle for Iraq.
September 26, 2017
By Christopher Woody
The formal end (click here) of the fight against ISIS in Mosul in July was heralded as a triumph, wresting Iraq's second-biggest city away from the terrorist group after nine months of intense and destructive fighting.
But ISIS has held on to pockets of territory in Iraq.
On August 19, Iraqi forces launched an assault on ISIS in Tal Afar, a town west of Mosul. By the end of the month, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was again declaring victory.
While the town of Tal Afar is much smaller than Mosul, they were both urban environments. The ISIS-held territory that remains — around Hawija in north-central Iraq and in western Anbar province — are more rural areas....
