Unidentified Drone Shot Down Over Iraq's Kirkuk

American army soldiers at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (AFP)
American army soldiers at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (AFP)
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Unidentified Drone Shot Down Over Iraq's Kirkuk

American army soldiers at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (AFP)
American army soldiers at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (AFP)

Iraq's air defenses shot down an unmanned drone on Thursday in the northern city of Kirkuk, two police sources told Reuters, triggering an investigation into the identity of the drone.
One Iraqi military colonel said on condition of anonymity that an initial investigation of the debris showed it was a Turkish military armed drone.
The drone fell in the center of Kirkuk, igniting a fire near some houses, but caused no casualties, police sources said, adding the blaze had been brought under control by firefighters.
There was no immediate response from Turkish authorities to a request for comment.



Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Lebanon's Presidential Election is My Priority After Ceasefire

Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Lebanon's Presidential Election is My Priority After Ceasefire

Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has set the presidential election session for January 9, 2024, calling it a “productive” meeting and announcing that accredited ambassadors in Lebanon will be invited.

Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat that his priority after the ceasefire with Israel is the presidential election, which he called a “national necessity.”

The announcement came as French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived in Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders about restarting stalled political efforts due to the war between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Both Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a call from French President Emmanuel Macron late Wednesday.

Macron discussed with Mikati the current situation in Lebanon following the ceasefire, as well as the implementation of decisions made at the recent Lebanon Support Conference in Paris.

In his call with Berri, Macron addressed the general situation, recent steps taken by Lebanon regarding the ceasefire and Israeli provocations, and preparations for the presidential election.

This renewed presidential push comes after more than two years of a vacant presidency, with Lebanese political parties still divided over a consensus candidate.