Iraq PM Pays Respects to Hashemi's Family, Calls Him 'Hero'

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pays his respects to the family of slain scholar and government advisor Hisham al-Hashemi in Baghdad's Zayouna district, hugging his sons | AFP
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pays his respects to the family of slain scholar and government advisor Hisham al-Hashemi in Baghdad's Zayouna district, hugging his sons | AFP
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Iraq PM Pays Respects to Hashemi's Family, Calls Him 'Hero'

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pays his respects to the family of slain scholar and government advisor Hisham al-Hashemi in Baghdad's Zayouna district, hugging his sons | AFP
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pays his respects to the family of slain scholar and government advisor Hisham al-Hashemi in Baghdad's Zayouna district, hugging his sons | AFP

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi paid his respects on Wednesday to the family of slain scholar and government advisor Hisham al-Hashemi, pledging to "avenge" his death.

Hashemi, 47, was a specialist in militant movements and had developed a vast network of top decision-makers, armed groups, and rival parties, often mediating among them.

He was shot dead outside his Baghdad home on Monday night by gunmen on motorcycles, leaving behind a wife, three sons, and a daughter.

On Wednesday, Kadhimi paid his respects to the family, calling Hashemi -- a personal friend and advisor -- a "hero".

"Those afraid of a word can only be described as cowards. Hisham did nothing but try to help Iraqis through his words," said Kadhimi, hugging the deceased's tearful three sons Issa, Moussa, and Ahmed.

Their names translate in Arabic to Jesus, Moses, and another name for the Prophet Mohammed.

The three boys had rushed outside their home on Monday after hearing gunshots and helped neighbors pull their father's bullet-riddled body from his car.

"This behavior is not Iraqi. Iraqis don't kill Iraqis," Kadhimi said.

"I will avenge him, and God willing his killers will not go free. I am your brother, and Issa, Moussa, and Ahmed are my children," the premier told Hashemi's widow.

"This is my duty and the state's duty," he added.

Hashemi was a renowned researcher on the Islamic State group and had more recently become outspoken against rogue armed actors in Iraq.

He was no stranger to intimidation efforts, but those close to him told AFP he had received more serious threats from Iran-backed groups in recent weeks.

Experts have voiced fear that Hashemi's killing would usher in a dark era in which prominent voices critical of political parties and armed groups would be violently silenced.

Already, there has been no accountability for more than 550 people killed in protest-related violence since October, when mass rallies slammed Iraq's government as corrupt, inept, and beholden to neighboring Iran.

Among them are around two dozen activists who were shot dead, often by masked assailants on motorcycles.



Hamdok Calls for UN-African Union Meeting with Sudanese Warring Parties to Secure Ceasefire

Sudanese Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Facebook)
Sudanese Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Facebook)
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Hamdok Calls for UN-African Union Meeting with Sudanese Warring Parties to Secure Ceasefire

Sudanese Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Facebook)
Sudanese Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. (Facebook)

Sudanese former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has called for an urgent joint meeting between the UN Security Council, the African Union Peace and Security Council, the Sudanese army, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allied groups, and key civil actors, in a bid to reach an unconditional ceasefire and humanitarian truce in his country’s war.

In a public address marking the second anniversary of the devastating war between the military and RSF, Hamdok proposed an inclusive summit attended by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), and representatives of civilian forces.

Hamdok’s initiative aims to secure a permanent ceasefire, reach a comprehensive peace agreement, and establish broad consensus on a transitional constitutional framework that revives Sudan’s path toward civilian democratic governance, rooted in the spirit of the December 2018 revolution.

He urged the formation of a fully empowered transitional civilian authority to oversee post-war recovery, reconstruction, and the organization of national elections. He also emphasized the need to begin confidence-building measures, including halting hostile media campaigns and releasing all prisoners and detainees.

Under his “Sudan Peace Appeal,” Hamdok also called for an international donor conference to bridge the humanitarian funding gap and support a Sudanese-led peace process that addresses the root causes of the conflict.

He proposed a three-track approach: humanitarian aid and civilian protection, a ceasefire with permanent security arrangements based on the Jeddah Agreement, and a political dialogue to lay the groundwork for lasting peace.

Moreover, Hamdok urged regional and international stakeholders to refrain from actions that prolong the conflict and to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on all parties. He also proposed forming a Sudanese-led expert task force to assess the war’s destruction and develop a national reconstruction and recovery plan.

The former prime minister warned that continued fighting could turn Sudan into a hub for extremist and terrorist groups. He condemned growing hate speech and atrocities, including massacres and horrific violence, which he said risk transforming the country into a breeding ground for terrorism.

Meanwhile, the army marked the start of the third year of war by announcing military gains against RSF positions in western and southern Omdurman, seizing weapons and killing dozens of fighters. The army claimed it had cleared several strategic areas and was now targeting remaining RSF pockets in Khartoum State.