Iraq’s PMF Law: A battle for state control

Shafaq News As Iraq’s parliamentary term draws to a close, a controversial draft law to restructure the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) has reignited a complex political battle that reaches far beyond its... Read more »

Green turning grey: Inside Iraq’s accelerating desertification

Shafaq News Iraq stands on the brink of an environmental disaster, with nearly 60 percent of its territory either already desert or undergoing rapid desertification. The Green Iraq Observatory has warned that... Read more »

Humanitarian crisis deepens in Suwayda, ongoing blockade

2025-08-03T13:21:37+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Suwayda The humanitarian situation in Suwayda, southern Syria, continues to deteriorate under a blockade imposed by forces affiliated with the transitional... Read more »

Turkiye’s cautious gamble: PKK disarmament and the regional chessboard

Shafaq News An emerging Turkish initiative to demilitarize the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has begun taking shape with a mix of symbolic gestures and deliberate caution. On July 11, a ceremonial handover... Read more »

Cash culture dominates Iraq, reform efforts stall

2025-08-02T18:18:02+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad Officials estimated on Saturday that nearly 92 percent of Iraq’s cash remains outside the banking system, making it one of... Read more »

The Fine Print of Freedom: Iraq to amend Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly Law

Shafaq News Iraq’s parliament is preparing to vote on a newly amended version of a draft law regulating public assembly and peaceful demonstration, a legislative move that continues to stir concerns among... Read more »

War is possible again: Lebanon’s ongoing negotiations on Hezbollah’s arsenal

Shafaq News After months of political back-and-forth, the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons has become increasingly central in both domestic Lebanese discourse and international positioning. With time running short and diplomatic options narrowing,... Read more »

Climate change emerges as a national security threat in Iraq

2025-08-01T17:19:16+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq is undergoing an unprecedented climate transformation, with the past three years marking the most severe environmental deterioration in decades,... Read more »

Iraq’s scorching summer reshapes social behavior and work patterns

2025-08-01T12:25:32+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News Soaring temperatures nearing 50°C have turned Iraq’s summer into more than a seasonal challenge—it has become a heavy psychological and physical burden... Read more »

Public opinion is absent from the Anfal crimes anniversary

2025-07-31T20:46:05+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News By Ali Hussein Feyli Although the memory of Iraqis is burdened with disasters and bloody tragedies, they rarely express them with collective... Read more »