Iraqi Parliament Speaker in Erbil to Discuss Pending Disputes

Iraqi parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. (AFP)
Iraqi parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. (AFP)
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Iraqi Parliament Speaker in Erbil to Discuss Pending Disputes

Iraqi parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. (AFP)
Iraqi parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. (AFP)

Iraqi parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi kicked off on Friday an official visit to the Kurdistan Region, his first to the area since his appointment to his post.

He held talks with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, who was recently nominated for the Kurdish presidency.

The two officials discussed pending political and security affairs between Erbil and Baghdad and efforts to form a new Iraqi government.

They underline the need and importance of filling the remaining vacant seats in the cabinet.

The case of refugees in Kurdistan was also addressed.

Later, Halbousi held talks with former Kurdish President Masoud Barzani on the political process in Iraq and the obstacles it is facing, including completing the cabinet lineup.

The warned of the repercussions of failing to form the government, while stressing the need to preserve balance in state institutions, especially in the security and military sectors.

Halbousi also held talks with Kurdistan’s general intelligence chief Masrour Barzani, who has been nominated to form the next Kurdish government.

They discussed bolstering ties between Erbil and Baghdad, as well as the Kurdish region’s budget.



Sudan’s Burhan: No Return to Negotiations Until RSF is Defeated

Smoke rises near Khartoum International Airport, adjacent to the Army General Command headquarters (File photo - Reuters)
Smoke rises near Khartoum International Airport, adjacent to the Army General Command headquarters (File photo - Reuters)
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Sudan’s Burhan: No Return to Negotiations Until RSF is Defeated

Smoke rises near Khartoum International Airport, adjacent to the Army General Command headquarters (File photo - Reuters)
Smoke rises near Khartoum International Airport, adjacent to the Army General Command headquarters (File photo - Reuters)

Fierce battles between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have continued in southern Khartoum, as the army sought to reclaim the strategic Jebel Aulia Dam Bridge, aiming to cut off RSF’s supply routes.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Transitional Sovereign Council, reiterated on Tuesday his rejection of negotiations through the Jeddah peace platform until the RSF is completely eliminated.

Speaking at a memorial for fallen soldiers, Burhan declared: “There will be no negotiations or return to Jeddah until the terrorist militia—meaning RSF—is defeated and fully disarmed.”

He reaffirmed the army’s commitment to “purging the country of rebels and restoring security, stability, and peace.”

Reports indicate intense clashes between the SAF and RSF near Al-Qutaynah, White Nile State, and the southern borders of Khartoum State. The army is advancing on Jebel Aulia Dam Bridge from multiple fronts to sever the RSF’s last remaining supply line.

The bridge, located 40 km south of Khartoum, serves as RSF’s sole remaining supply route across the White Nile River, linking their forces in Khartoum (east bank) with those in Omdurman (west bank) and connecting White Nile, Kordofan, and Darfur regions. It is a critical logistical corridor for the RSF.

The Sudanese army has recently regained key areas in Khartoum State, including Bahri, eastern Khartoum, and several bridgeheads, significantly improving its strategic position.

In a related move, Lieutenant General Yasser Al-Atta, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the SAF, instructed government security agencies to resume normal operations across Khartoum State within 48 hours, following the army’s recapture of key areas from the RSF.

According to state news agency SUNA, the Khartoum State Security Committee, chaired by Governor Ahmed Osman Hamza, held a meeting with senior military and intelligence officials to restore law and order, combat crime, and ensure civilian safety.

In El Fasher, North Darfur, the army reported destroying 47 RSF combat vehicles, including troop carriers and supply trucks, while downing more than 100 RSF drones.

The RSF has besieged El Fasher for months, triggering intense battles that have displaced nearly half a million civilians to Tawila, Jebel Marra, and northern Sudan.

The 6th Infantry Division in El Fasher confirmed in a statement that it inflicted heavy losses on the RSF, using ground defenses to repel drone attacks and neutralize enemy reinforcements.