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Home of Kurdistan Region president targeted, American universities threatened as attacks escalate in Iraq
A drone attack targeted the residence of Kurdistan Region of Iraq President Nechirvan Barzani amid escalating strikes in Iraq on March 28, followed by a drone interception near the home of Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the following day. Iranian-backed militias and Iran have been blamed for attacks across Iraq, including more than 500 drone and missile strikes against the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region since February 28.
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6 Kurdistan Regional Government soldiers killed in Iranian attack on northern Iraq
Six Peshmerga fighters were killed, and more than 20 were wounded in a missile strike north of Erbil on March 24, marking the deadliest attack on the Kurdistan Region since late February. The strike is part of a broader wave of drone and missile attacks by Iran and Iranian-backed militias targeting northern Iraq, US facilities, and Kurdish forces. In addition, rockets were fired toward Syria on March 23, and at least 15 members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces were killed in a likely US airstrike in Iraq’s Anbar province.
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Strikes continue hitting Iran-backed Iraqi militias, Kataib Hezbollah declares temporary US embassy ceasefire
Unclaimed but likely American airstrikes have continued against Iran-backed Iraqi militias, with one strike reportedly killing a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander. The US and Kataib Hezbollah have subsequently agreed to a temporary, conditional pause in attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad, though other hostilities in the country continue.
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Iranian-backed militias escalate attacks in Iraq, send mixed signals on next steps
Iranian-backed militias have continued conducting attacks across Iraq, recently targeting US and foreign diplomatic sites in Baghdad and Erbil. Hundreds of strikes have hit the Kurdistan Region since late February, wounding Peshmerga forces and damaging key locations. While Kataib Hezbollah signaled a possible temporary pause in attacks tied to specific demands on March 18, other groups, such as Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada, vowed to continue.
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Dozens of airstrikes target Iran-backed militias across Iraq
The unclaimed airstrikes, likely conducted by the United States as part of US-Israeli operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, have targeted several Tehran-allied militias in Iraq and reportedly caused significant casualties. The US has not commented on these operations, which include over 30 reported strikes on the groups, who continue to attack US forces in the region.
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Iran-backed Iraqi militias claim downing of US aircraft, US says not due to ‘hostile fire’
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a front organization for Iranian-backed militias, claimed to have shot down a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker over western Iraq but provided no evidence. US Central Command denied that the aircraft was shot down, and reports indicated that it had collided with another US warplane.
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US condemns Iranian and militia attacks in Iraq amid unclaimed airstrikes on Tehran-backed militias
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Iranian and Iranian-backed militia attacks in Iraq during a March 9 call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani, as drone and missile strikes continued across the country. Many attacks have targeted the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq, where US forces are based, as well as other US facilities and diplomatic sites. Unclaimed airstrikes have also targeted Iranian-backed militias across Iraq.
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Iranian-backed militias continue attacks on US forces in Iraq
Iran-backed Iraqi militias claimed a series of drone and missile attacks against the “US presence” in the region on March 4 and 5, many targeting Iraqi Kurdistan, where significant American forces are located. US and Israeli forces are also likely operating against the Tehran-allied militias in Iraq, as both the militias and official government sources have reported a US presence and unidentified strikes against these groups.
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Iran’s regional partners spark protests across the Middle East and South Asia
Tehran’s partners and sympathizers have arranged protests across the region against the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, especially the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Some of the demonstrations have turned violent and present a danger to the local US diplomatic presence and civilians.
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Iraqi Shiite militias claim attacks on US bases
Iraqi militias backed by Iran have continued to fire drones and missiles at American bases in Iraq and in the region. Both the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Saraya Awliya al Dam have claimed responsibility for the strikes. Collectively, the groups have claimed dozens of operations against American bases since March 1.
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Iranian Kurdish groups unite against Tehran regime, Iraqi militias threaten Kurdistan Region
Five Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have announced a coalition aimed at opposing Iran’s regime. The alliance, unveiled at a joint press conference on February 22, includes the PDKI, PJAK, PAK, Komala, and the Khabat Organization. The move comes amid heightened US-Iran tensions and renewed threats from the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, which warned the Kurdistan Region against cooperating with “foreign forces.”
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Former Iraq PM Maliki vows to pursue return to office despite US opposition
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has vowed to continue pursuing a return to office regardless of US pressure opposing his candidacy, intensifying political uncertainty following Iraq’s November 2025 elections. Maliki’s bid comes as Shiite factions within the Coordination Framework weigh their options amid ongoing efforts to select a new president and prime minister.
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5,000 Islamic State detainees transferred to Iraq from Syria, will face investigations
Around 5,000 Islamic State detainees have been transferred from Syria to Iraq under a US-facilitated mission that began in late January, following security shifts in eastern Syria. The number of detainees transferred is expected to reach up to 7,000. Iraqi officials say the transfers may conclude by February 12 and that the detainees will face investigation and prosecution. Iraq has stressed it will not become a permanent repository for foreign fighters and has urged countries to repatriate their citizens now in Iraqi custody.
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3 months after elections, Iraq still unable to form a government
Iraq’s Shiite leadership has chosen a candidate to lead the next government, but American objections have contributed to stalling the government-formation process. The country’s leaders may turn to creative solutions to navigate the impasse, including declaring the current government an extended caretaker government.
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Trump calls for Iraq to reject Maliki as prime minister, Maliki denounces US ‘interference’
On January 28, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki stated that he rejected “blatant American interference in Iraq’s internal affairs,” a day after US President Donald Trump said Maliki, who is a leading contender for the country’s next prime minister, should not retake the office. US envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya also said that Iranian-backed militias should be prevented from having power in the next government. Separately, several Iranian-backed militias threatened to support Iran in any conflict with the US or Israel and sent forces to the border with Syria amid fighting between the Syrian government and the Syrian…
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Iran and its proxies threaten retaliation against US and Israel amid US military buildup
Tehran and its regional proxy groups have threatened retaliation against the United States and Israel as Washington moves additional military assets into the Middle East after the regime’s lethal crackdown on protesters. Regime-affiliated outlets and proxy leaders have outlined various retaliation scenarios, including drone swarms, maritime disruption efforts, and suicide attacks.
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US withdraws from Iraqi airbase, transfers Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq
US forces completed their withdrawal from Ain al Assad Airbase, the Iraqi government said on January 18, fulfilling a US agreement with Iraqi authorities going back to 2024. The withdrawal took place as Syrian government forces pushed back the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria. On January 21, US Central Command said it would transfer up to 7,000 Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq.
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Fate of prisons holding Islamic State fighters uncertain as Syrian government fights Syrian Democratic Forces
Syrian government forces advancing into eastern Syria are increasingly taking over areas where Islamic State members have been held in prisons and detention facilities by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF said it lost control of Al Shaddadi prison, and the Syrian government asserted that it would secure the facility and round up prisoners who may have fled. Clashes also occurred near Aqtan prison north of Raqqa.
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Kataib Hezbollah threatens US bases in the Middle East if US strikes Iran
Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shiite militia, warned the United States that if Washington launched a war with Iran, the group would attack American bases in the region. The threat comes amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran as the Islamic Republic continues a brutal crackdown on demonstrations that began nearly three weeks ago.
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Iraqi militias divided on disarming and accepting government control
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are reportedly considering an initiative to disarm and place their weapons under government control. The militias, part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), have been incorporated as independent units within Iraq’s security forces since 2016. Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful of militias, has rejected disarmament, while the US lauded the potential development.
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US highlights anti-Islamic State operations after soldiers killed in Syria
US Central Command (CENTCOM) published new data in the wake of the killing of two American soldiers and an interpreter in Syria on December 13, showing that US and partner forces have carried out 80 operations in the country since July 2025. “We will continue to work closely with our Syrian partners to hunt down ISIS networks and prevent their resurgence,” Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of CENTCOM, said. There have also been several security operations in Syria and Iraq conducted by Syrian and Iraqi security forces in the wake of the attack.
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Iraq investigation concludes drones struck Khor Mor gas field, Kurdistan Region requests air defenses
An Iraqi government investigation into the November 26 attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region concluded on December 3 that two drones carried out the attack. The committee investigating the incident has recommended establishing an integrated air defense system for the site. US officials meeting with their counterparts from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) discussed support for the KRG and bolstering coordination against threats.
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Vital Khor Mor gas field attacked in Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq
A November 26 drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq has led to power outages. The attack has been condemned by the US, UN, Turkey, Iran, and local Iraqi officials. Kurdistan Regional Government officials have called for increased protection of the facility, which has been targeted a dozen times in the last several years. Iranian-backed militias using kamikaze drones have been blamed for past attacks, and officials in Baghdad and Erbil vowed to investigate.
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With voting in Iraq complete, government formation begins
Iraq is embarking on a likely months-long process of government formation after its national election. Sunni and Kurdish leaders will be elected to serve as speaker of the Council of Representatives and president of Iraq, respectively, in accordance with Iraq’s traditional sectarian power-sharing arrangements. The office of the prime minister, who is the head of government, goes to a Shiite leader and will be determined by negotiations within and between the major parties and alliances that emerge post-election.
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Iraq votes in parliamentary elections amid US security talks and concerns about Iranian influence
On November 11, Iraqis voted in the country’s sixth parliamentary election since 2006. More than 30 million people were eligible to vote, and estimates say turnout was around 55 percent. There were 329 seats up for election, with Iraqi parties divided along sectarian and ethnic lines. On the eve of the election, US officials met with their Iraqi counterparts to discuss future security cooperation. Meanwhile, Iran is closely monitoring the election results as pro-Iranian parties and militias seek to secure seats in parliament.
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PKK announcement of withdrawal from Turkey has ramifications for Iraq, Syria
On October 26, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) announced that it was withdrawing its fighters from Turkey as part of a peace process with the Turkish government. Media reports indicate that the PKK may be moving to northern Iraq, leading to questions about how the withdrawal may affect the Kurdish regions of eastern Syria and northern Iraq.
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Iranian-backed Iraqi militias in spotlight after Secretary of State Rubio’s call with Prime Minister Sudani
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al Sudani on October 21, discussing the “urgency in disarming Iran-backed militias that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty.” Sudani told the US to “avoid unilateral decisions in Iraq.” The call followed increased US sanctions on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and individuals linked to them. Separately, Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al Araji visited Iran and met with the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), while IRGC-Qods Force Commander Esmail Qaani visited Iraq to discuss upcoming elections with Shiite political parties.
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Iraqi parliamentary candidate killed in car bombing
Safaa al Mashhadani was reportedly killed in a car bombing on October 15 in Tarmiya, a town north of Baghdad. Mashhadani was a candidate with the Sovereignty (Siyada) Alliance, an important Sunni party running in the country’s November elections. Iraqi media reports indicate the attack has the hallmarks of a targeted assassination, and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) called for a transparent investigation.
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US designates 4 Iran-backed Iraqi militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations
On September 17, the US State Department designated four Iran-backed Iraqi militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). These groups, previously listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), have received support from the regime in Tehran and attacked US forces and interests in Iraq and across the Middle East.
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Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov freed in Iraq
Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped by Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah in March 2023 and holds Israeli and Russian citizenship, was freed in Iraq on September 9, according to President Donald Trump. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office claimed that security agencies in the country had secured her release, and they would pursue those “involved in this crime and hold them accountable.” A source reported to be from Kataib Hezbollah claimed the group had released her to avoid conflict in Iraq and in light of the US withdrawal from the country.
