Iraqi Armed Factions End Truce with American Forces

Members of the Nujaba movement are seen at a rally in Baghdad in support of the people in Gaza on October 8. (AFP)
Members of the Nujaba movement are seen at a rally in Baghdad in support of the people in Gaza on October 8. (AFP)
TT
20

Iraqi Armed Factions End Truce with American Forces

Members of the Nujaba movement are seen at a rally in Baghdad in support of the people in Gaza on October 8. (AFP)
Members of the Nujaba movement are seen at a rally in Baghdad in support of the people in Gaza on October 8. (AFP)

The “Coordination of the Iraqi Resistance” announced the end of the deadline for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

In a statement on Wednesday, it added that it will resolve this file “through all available means.”

It made its announcement hours after Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned of a war without restraints against Israel and threatened to open a front on the Mediterranean.

Before his remarks, Asharq Al-Awsat had revealed that Iraqi factions were ready to fight in Lebanon should a wide-scale war erupt there and should Hezbollah agree to their involvement.

The Coordination of the Iraqi Resistance said it had held an extraordinary meeting to review the developments in the region and Iraq in order to inform the people of “what is going on around them.”

It stated that it reviewed the deadline granted by the Iraqi government to the US forces to pull out from the country four months ago.

The armed factions have been committed to a truce with the American troops and refrained from launching attacks against them in wake of the assassination of a leading member of the Nujaba movement in an American strike in Baghdad in January.

Various factions, such as the Nujaba and Hezbollah Brigades, had expressed their opposition to the truce.

The Coordination of the Iraqi Resistance underscored on Wednesday the need to forge ahead in “achieving the country’s sovereignty given the enemy’s stalling and intransigence that is aimed at maintaining its occupation and control over its security and economic decisions.”

The Coordination underlined its determination to end the American military deployment in Iraq.

“The Iraqi people and resistance, loyal politicians, tribal members and MPs are capable of ending this file by using all means at their disposal in order to restore security and stability and achieve complete sovereignty,” it stressed.

In wake of the announcement, activists close to the ruling pro-Iran Coordination Framework spoke of the return of resistance operations without specifying the target of these operations.



Lebanon Sends Message of Confidence with First Local Elections

A Lebanese man casts his ballot during the Municipal elections at a polling station in Deir El Qamar, in the Chouf District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, 04 May 2025. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
A Lebanese man casts his ballot during the Municipal elections at a polling station in Deir El Qamar, in the Chouf District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, 04 May 2025. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
TT
20

Lebanon Sends Message of Confidence with First Local Elections

A Lebanese man casts his ballot during the Municipal elections at a polling station in Deir El Qamar, in the Chouf District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, 04 May 2025. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
A Lebanese man casts his ballot during the Municipal elections at a polling station in Deir El Qamar, in the Chouf District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, 04 May 2025. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

Lebanon completed the first phase of its municipal and mayoral elections on Sunday, in a vote overseen by political and security authorities and hailed by officials as transparent.

The polls mark the country’s first electoral process under President Joseph Aoun, who sought to reassure voters that “the state is serious about safeguarding their right to express their views through the ballot box.”

Aoun described the vote’s integrity as a “message of trust to the world that Lebanon is beginning to recover, rebuild its institutions, and is now on the right track.”

Sunday’s vote covered Mount Lebanon province, the most populous region in the country.

The area includes a mix of religious and political affiliations, including Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold heavily damaged during Israel’s bombardment in the latest war on Lebanon.

Aoun made a field visit on Sunday to oversee Lebanon’s first municipal and mayoral elections since 2016, following years of delays caused by the country’s prolonged political and economic crises.

The president began his tour at the Ministry of Interior, where he met with Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Hajjar and Justice Minister Adel Nassar. The discussions focused on measures in place to safeguard the electoral process from any security or legal disruptions.

Both ministers assured the president of their full preparedness to address any challenges that may arise during the first phase of the vote, held in Mount Lebanon province.

Speaking to staff in the central operations room, Aoun called for “active and serious efforts” to ensure a smooth electoral process and to reassure citizens that the state is committed to protecting their right to vote freely.

He also urged voters to participate in large numbers and resist pressures based on sectarian, political or financial influences. “Do not let sectarian, partisan, or monetary factors sway your choice,” Aoun said.

Local elections were held across the districts of Jbeil, Keserwan, Metn, Aley, Baabda, and Chouf - areas where family and clan loyalties often outweigh political or sectarian affiliations in Lebanon’s complex electoral landscape.

As of late afternoon, with three hours remaining before polls closed, the Interior Ministry reported varying voter turnout rates across Mount Lebanon province.

Keserwan led with more than 53% turnout, followed by Jbeil nearing 50%. Aley registered 36.66%, Chouf 38%, Baabda 33.11%, and Northern Metn around 33%.