Kurdistan
Yesterday Nechirvan Barzani, Kurdistan region president and deputy general secretary of the KDP, arrived in Sulaimani after months of tensions and a lack of direct communications between the two ruling parties of the region.
He added that there are many problems between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. The parties should go to Baghdad with a united demand.
He noted, “the sooner the PUK and KDP meet, the better for the Kurdistan Region.
The Kurdistan region’s peshmerga forces are 100 thousand strong and are commanded separately by the PUK and the KDP. The PUK peshmerga is colloquially known as the 70 forces, while the KDP’s as 80 forces. Since 2005 numerous domestic and international attempts to merge the forces to unite the region’s peshmerga forces have remained futile.
Kurdistan region's deputy prime minister visited the headquarters of the Zanyari agency in Sulaimani's Qalachwalan area. He visited the agency's different departments and confirmed his support for the agency.
DPM meeting the new director of the Zanyari agency, Jalal Sheikh Naji, mentioned the importance of the organization's works in securing the Kurdistan region and the reforms needed to secure the region better.
Zanyari agency, officially known as Protection and Zanyari/ Zanyari agency, is one of the two intelligence agencies officially operating under the security council of the Kurdistan region.
Today, at 5:15 am, two Turkish drones hovered over the skies in Khalkhalan in Suleimani's Aghjalar region, the Aghjalar county magistrate told KurdSat News.
At 9 am, the village headman, Aram HamadKhan, and his son-in-law, Ismael Mamand, drive down a road, and find three PKK fighters dead or injured. Hamadkhan put the three guerrillas in his Toyota Hilux pickup to a health center in Aghjalar, but at 9:35 am, Turkish drones bombed his pickup, killing all passengers on broad, a cousin of HamadKhan and Mamand said.
HamadKhan and Mamand are survivors of the Anfal campaign. During this campaign, in 1988, the Baathist regime killed more than 182 thousand women, children, and the elderly. HamadKhan and Mamand have lost many family members.
Turkey has been using drones to assassinate individuals and groups within the Kurdistan Region for years, violating the region's airspace and territory. Many civilians have died of the Turkish strikes. According to Kamaran Osman, a member of Community Peacemaker Teams in the Kurdistan region, since 2015, 111 civilians in the region have been killed due to the Turkish strikes.
A hydropower plant in Derelok with the capacity to provide 38 MW of electricity, a plant in Tasluja with a capacity of 51 MW, and three plants in Erbil, Sulaimani, and Duhok, each with a capacity of 29 MW, will start producing electricity this summer, KRG Electricity Minister Kamal Mohammed Salih announced.
The 500 MW Bazian power plant will be operational in November this year. Still, the minister added that its operation depends on the amount of fuel supplied.
Regarding the electricity situation this summer, the electricity minister revealed that this summer's electricity supplies would be the same as the last summer's or better.
The Kurdistan region relies on hydrocarbon energy to light up its households. However, the region doesn't have access to 24/7 electricity and needs development in its energy infrastructure.
Bafel Jalal Talabani, co-president of the PUK, remembered Mustafa and said, 'Today we sadly remember the passing of a great leader of our nation.'
Kurdistan region deputy prime minister Qubad Talabani, remembering Mustafa praised him, saying, 'Nawshirwan Mustafa is unique in his path and method. He is one of the rare leaders that have become public property, and with time his value increases.'
He is known as the father of the poor as he championed a campaign for transparency and the rule of law for a decade until his death.
Many people posted their photographs with Mustafa on social media.
Nawshirwan Mustafa was born on 22 December 1944 in the old quarter of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, the son of Mustafa Émin Khider. Sulaymaniyah has been home to the Mustafa Émin Khider family since the city was established in 1784. Unlike Kurdistan's other prominent political leaders, Masoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, Mustafa hails from a town, not a village, and is not a member of a tribe. Nawshirwan built his reputation as a republican who opposed family rule and hereditary political parties.
On May 16, in a show of solidarity with journalists in the Kurdistan region against malicious cyber-attacks, the center organized a meeting for prominent Kurdish journalists, critics, and dissidents in the Kurdistan region's Sulaimani.
Cyber-attacks have become an additional obstacle to freedom of the press and opinion, Metro center declared.
Director of the Metro Center, Raman Gharib, invited a group of editors-in-chief of prominent Kurdish media outlets to a discussion at the Draw Media Foundation office. They held a round table to discuss topics related to Internet freedom and cyber-attacks on some news websites.
The participants unanimously agreed to write a memorandum and direct it to international organizations and Meta (Facebook) to protect journalists from attacks and make the internet safer for freedom of press and opinion.
Kurdistan region's Sulaimani is home to a diverse number of papers, media outlets, and TV stations, both domestic and international, that operate in the free environment of Sulaimani.
Hackers recently targeted Kurdish news outlets such as the Diplomatic Magazine and Bwar Media after publishing corruption papers. The attack downed both media websites and halted their journalist operations.
'Several journalists submitted complaints and told us about targeting personal computers and mobile devices for their journalistic work.' Gharib said in the meeting.
The Metro Center had opposed a bill submitted by the Cultural Committee of the Parliament of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to 'regulate' electronic media and considered it a frightening trend to restrict freedom of expression. The bill's design might limit journalists' access to material and information.
Metro Center for Defending the Rights of Journalists was established in August 2009 by journalists and human rights defenders. It was founded in cooperation with the American Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR). The center aims to monitor, defend, and protect the freedom of the press and journalists in the Kurdistan Region.
In the meeting held on Monday, May 16, 2022, attended by US Consul General Robert Palladino, Qubad Talabani praised the efforts of Matthew Tueller. During his work in Iraq, the ambassador played a significant role in developing relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan region and called on the Iraqi parties to bring their views closer together.
The meeting revolved around the political process in Iraq and the obstacles to forming the next government.
Both sides agreed that efforts should be made to bring different parties' views closer together through dialogue and understanding.
In this regard, Qubad Talabani called for a national agreement to resolve all the issues that hindered the formation of the next Iraqi government. The deal should not be at the expense of any party, and all parties should compromise.
Regarding the differences within the Kurdish parties, the Deputy Prime Minister said the key to resolving the differences is that the parties put the interests of the Kurdistan Region before their party and personal interests.
The Iraqi supreme court's decision on the oil and gas policy of the KRG was mentioned, and Qubad Talabani stressed that this decision could be used to resolve the issues between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad.
During the meeting, the US Ambassador expressed his concern that the crime rate in the Kurdistan Region has increased in the past and praised the efforts of the Deputy Prime Minister, who is serious about reducing the crime rate and arresting and punishing the perpetrators.
Bashdar Hassan, head of the lawyers of the Badinan detainees, said that they had been detained by the KDP security, Asaysh, for seventeen months.
KurdSat News correspondent in Erbil said, 'the detainees were given conditional discharge sentence and will be released after 37 days as they have served 17 months in the prisons of Asaysh.'
In the past few years, more than 70 activists and journalists have been detained by Erbil Security forces charged with undermining the security of the Kurdistan region. Some were convicted for writing a comment on social media that went against KDP beliefs.
Some of the detainees were charged with forming relations with consulates in Erbil. In 2021, five of the detainees were sentenced to six years in prison. In addition, the court officially indicted them with espionage in the pay of Erbil's American and German consulates. The respective states asked the Erbil to respect their diplomatic missions in the region and condemned the court's decision.
MP, activists, journalists, and relatives of the convicted gathered in Front of the Erbil appeal court. Karwan Gaznaee, a law-maker of the Kurdistan region parliament, said, 'if authority [ Erbil] is afraid of a comment from an activist from Shiladzeh, then disaster awaits it.'
Civil rights activists declared the court ruling baseless and called the convicted innocent and their cases politically motivated.
In a statement, the PUK announced that the forum will be held on May 28. It will coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the PUK, and the resumption of the new revolution of our people.
The forum in Sulaimani follows a series of other meetings in Badinan, Kirkuk, Erbil, Garmian, Khanaqin, Raperin, Halabja, Sulaimani and Baghdad.
"The meeting is a meeting of concern and efforts to renew, reform and strengthen the position of the PUK at all levels," Qubad Talabani, director of the PUK forum said.
"This meeting is a comradery and national call to discuss the current reality of the PUK and its identity, to renew the political and social discourse and development, to be ready to fulfill its duties with a new vision, and without discrimination, provide a prosperous Kurdistan for all.”
After years of fragmentation and disorganization, the PUK is holding a forum to discuss its reorganization and adopting to the new realities facing the party.
The Iraqi Border Guards have set up an outpost in the Barwari Bala area to prevent the advance of the Turkish troops and reduce its bombing of villages on the border.
Kurdsat News correspondent reported that the Iraqi border guards set up another outpost in the village of Hrure, in Barwari Bala today to reduce the shelling of the Turkish army on the village.
He said that the Turkish army had been continuously bombing the area of Barwari Bala for a year, especially the village of Hrure, which has suffered several damages, and the residents cannot live in peace.
Since the last year, the Iraqi army has set up seven bases to prevent the advance of the Turkish military into the Kurdistan Region.
The Turkish army has 51 known military bases, plus an unknown number of intelligence bases scattered across the Kurdistan region Turkish border.
In its most recent military operation, codenamed Claw-Lock, the Turkish military moved deep into Kurdistan region territory.
KRG Council of minister's chief of staff said that it would respond to Baghdad's decision regarding its energy policy.
On May 8, Umed Sabah, chief of staff of the Kurdistan regional government's council of ministers, on the official website of the KRG media and information department, said, 'after a visit by the KRG delegation to Baghdad, the Iraqi government had presented the KRG with a proposal and they had begun studying it, and they would reply Baghdad by the end of the week [May 12]'.
Since Sabah's statement, six days have passed, and the KRG has not replied to the proposal.
On March 31, Baghdad asked the KRG to transfer its energy activities to a new company ahead of Baghdad's takeover of the region's oil and gas. The Kurdistan Region has been following an independent energy policy since 2005, and it has not shared its revenue with the central government.
Baghdad asks the KRG to reveal its energy contracts and revenues to send the region's share of the budget, which Baghdad had only sent partially or withheld since 2014 when a dispute between the Iraqi prime minister Nouri Malki and the Kurdistan region president, Masoud Barzani led to a conflict that culminated in the Iraqi army and militia to push Kurdish forces back from Kirkuk and disputed territories.
The award marks the 22nd year of the passing of Ibraim Ahmed. The prize ceremonies take place annually. Each recipient receives a gold medal and receives wide recognition from the people of the Kurdistan region.
It has been awarded since 2001 with the founding of the Ibrahim Ahmed Foundation, which oversees and nominates the laureates.
The award goes to people that have made significant and influential contributions to the Kurdish language, history, politics, film, music, and culture.
The ceremony for the award is held annually in Sulaimani with the presence of intellectuals and politicians.
Bila is short for Braim. Kurds tend to shorten names for easier utterance and friendship, though it becomes a nickname for some people.
Bila Prize was awarded to Selahettin Demirtas in absentia, the imprisoned Kurdish leader in Turkey who served the Kurdish cause for most of his life. Bila Prize was awarded to Selahettin Demirtas in absentia, the imprisoned Kurdish leader in Turkey who served the Kurdish cause for most of his life. Falaknas Ocer, an HDP member of the parliament of Turkey, received the prize for Demirtas.
Demirtas told KurdSat, 'I am pleased to express my gratitude to the Ibrahim Ahmed foundation. I am honored to win Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed's prize.'
The winners included four women and four men. Jamila Jaleel, a female Kurdish litterateur, who currently resides in Armenia, won the prize. She was followed by Nasreen Muhammed Abdullah, a military commander diplomat in Rojava or Western Kurdistan.
Nasreen is one of the founders of the Women's Protection Units, an all-female force that operates in Rojava and is one of the main parties forming the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Ibrahim Ahmed Fatahzadeh Mustafa was born on March 6th 1914, in Sulaimani under the Ottoman empire. Ibrahim Ahmed attended madrasa and later school in Suliamani.
He was fond of reading and studying and attained a degree from the law college in Baghdad in 1937.
In the same year, he co-authored ‘Al-Arab wa Al-Akrad’ a book written in Arabic explaining the relations between Kurds and Arabs and their rights in Iraq. Bila mentioned Kurdish self-determination for the first time, which led to his arrest and ban of his book.
Since then, he has authored numerous books, novels, and articles. His seminal works have become a milestone in Kurdish literature and history. Though a litterateur, he was an adept politician that worked most of his life to achieve Kurdish rights in Iraq and beyond.
He joined the newly founded Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Iraq in 1947. The KDP represented Iraqi Kurds, and it was an involved party with a large following.
After four years as a prominent leader of the KDP, he was elected the general secretary of the KDP in the party’s second congress.
He continued his political and intellectual life until 1975 when he retired and moved to London, where he passed away in 2000.
Recently, IS terrorists have begun attacking Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces in the central plains of Iraq.
A statement released by Bafel Talabani’s press office said, ‘In a meeting attended by Wahab Halabjay, director of the counter-terrorism group (CTG), bringing Iraqi and Kurdish security forces together, and a new way of fighting the IS terrorists was discussed.’
United States Army maintains close relations with Kurdish security forces of the Kurdistan region, and their contribution helped the Kurdish security forces clear the region from IS terrorists.
Selahettim Demirtas, the former co-chair of the HDP and imprisoned Kurdish leader in Turkey, said, ‘I thoughtfully remember Ibrahim Ahmed, and I am honored to win the prize… I express my gratitude to the members of the Ibrahim Ahmed Foundation and the prize increases my responsibility for my nation and I try to live up to the prize.’
The Bila Golden Prize ceremonies are held annually to honor Ibrahim Ahmed, Kurdish linguist, intellectual, novelist, and politician who struggled for Kurdish rights in the 20th century.
The General Directorate of Counter-Terrorism Group (GDCTG) announced that the CTG forces, jointly with the Peshmerga forces, emergency police and the Iraqi army launched a large-scale operation to destroy ISIS terrorists.
A statement issued by the GTCTG said that the operation aims to eradicate ISIL terrorists from the region and end their activities.
"The operations have started from two front, the first front in Kufri, Sulaiman Beg, Khurmatu, and the second front covers the area of Dawe and villages of Binari Ghara, to eradicate the bases of ISIS in the border."
IS terrorists have regrouped in the security vacuum made by the standoff between Kurdish and Iraqi security forces in northern and central Iraq since the 2017 independence referendum.
Recently, Iraqi and Kurdish security officials have reached an understanding and have begun to clear the area from IS terrorists and the need for cooperation between the two parties to secure the area and deny the terrorists any safe haven.
On his official Facebook page regarding the formation of government in Baghdad, Bafel Talabani said, "the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the (PUK) has been in favor of political understanding and consensus from the beginning."
The PUK chief said that today the situation in Iraq requires that no force or party should be marginalized.
"The country [Iraq] cannot be led in the wrong direction in the name of the majority and any attempt outside this national will, will be fruitless," he said.
Talabani continued that "there is still time for dialogue. We must resolve the issues as per the constitution and genuine partnership and form a service government that will guide the country towards political, economic and social stability.'
Russia has cultivated closer ties with the Kurdistan region since the early 2010s. Moscow has stakes in the Kurdistan region's vast hydrocarbon reserves, and many Russian energy giants operate there.