BAGHDAD: More than a month after Iraq parliamentary elections, political leaders are still negotiating the formation of a new government amid growing pressure from the United States. Washington has urged Iraqi leaders to exclude what it describes as Iran-backed armed groups from the next ruling coalition. Read More: Sudani declares victory as his bloc leads Iraq’s general election […]
militias
Iraqi PM takes a gamble with move on Iran-backed militias
The Iraqi government’s move this week to place Iranian-backed militias under the command of the armed forces is a political gamble by a prime minister increasingly caught in the middle of a dangerous rivalry between Iran and the U.S, the two main power brokers in Iraq. Facing pressure from the US to curb the militias, […]
Haftar’s ally UAE says ‘extremist militias’ control Libyan capital
The United Arab Emirates said on Thursday that “extremist militias” were controlling the Libyan capital which its ally Khalifa Haftar is fighting to capture from forces allied to Libya’s internationally recognised government. The UAE, along with Egypt, support Haftar who they see as a bulwark against Islamist militants in North Africa. A 2017 UN report […]