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Iraq Fears Disastrous Consequences of Gatherings During Eid al-Adha

A man cools off from the summer heat under an open air shower in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
A man cools off from the summer heat under an open air shower in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
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Iraq Fears Disastrous Consequences of Gatherings During Eid al-Adha

A man cools off from the summer heat under an open air shower in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
A man cools off from the summer heat under an open air shower in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Coronavirus cases have recently spiked in Iraq, sparking concerns of a growing outbreak amid a lack commitment by many citizens to health-related guidelines.

The concerns have grown bigger as the Iraqi authorities intend to lift the partial curfew during Eid al-Adha, end of July.

Last week, Baghdad declared its intention to lift the lockdown after the Eid but backed down after coming under criticism.

Riyad Abdul Amir, the director of the Ministry of Health, said that the Ministry has called for a curfew throughout the Eid.

Its request has been approved by the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety in order to avoid a wider outbreak similar to the one witnessed a week after Eid al-Fitr.

For weeks, cases have been spiking but recoveries are increasing as well, according to Abdul Amir.

The tally of cases could possibly decline if citizens continue to abide by precautionary measures, he said.

Each citizen should work on protecting himself and his family because the virus shouldn’t be underrated, he added.

Total cases in Iraq surpassed 100,000 while recoveries reached 65 percent and deaths more than 4,000.

The People's Mobilization Committee (PMC) announced burying 77 COVID-19 patients from ten provinces in the new Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery in Najaf in the past 24 hours.

In a statement, PMC revealed that the death toll from all provinces had reached 3,549 by Wednesday.

In a headway that reflects containing the pandemic in Nineveh, the Tal Afar Department of Health announced shutting down quarantine facilities following the recovery of all patients.

It confirmed that the two centers in Tal Afar were closed after ensuring the recovery of all patients there.

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Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
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Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)

Russia, Iran, and Türkiye have called for an end to Israel’s military escalation in the Middle East, expressing concern over the worsening regional situation and warning of negative impacts on Syria.
At the conclusion of the 22nd round of Syria talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to a political solution, focused on restarting the work of the Constitutional Committee.
The escalation in the region, combined with the uncertainty following US President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, was a major topic of discussion in Astana, both during bilateral talks and in broader sessions.
The Russian delegation was led by Alexander Lavrentiev, Special Representative for Syria, while Iran’s delegation was headed by Ali Asghar Haji, Senior Political Advisor to the Foreign Minister. Türkiye’s delegation was led by Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Director-General for Syrian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.
The Syrian government delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Riad, and the opposition delegation, led by Ahmad Tohme, were also present.
Representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), along with observers from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq, attended the talks.
UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen was also present.
Sources at the meetings told Asharq Al-Awsat that much of the discussion focused on the impact of ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon and their effects on Syria, particularly amid Israel’s efforts to expand the conflict.
There was a strong emphasis on preventing Syria from becoming further embroiled in the growing conflict. Additionally, the impact of Trump’s election on US policy towards the region and Syria was widely discussed, with increasing speculation that Trump might follow through on promises to withdraw US troops from Syria.
This issue was highlighted by Russia’s envoy, Lavrentiev, at the close of the talks.
Lavrentiev stated that Russia is open to talks with the new US administration once it is in place to discuss issues related to Syria.
“If there are proposals, Russia is open and ready to continue communication with the US,” he added.
According to Lavrentiev, “Some compromises can only be reached through negotiations.”
A source from the Syrian opposition, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, said there is a shared view that a US withdrawal from Syria is “not inevitable, even if Trump has mentioned it.”
The source noted that Trump has become more pragmatic and responsive to the "deep state," with a better understanding of foreign policy.
The source also pointed out that Türkiye shares this view. While Ankara wants the US to leave, it does not want a unilateral withdrawal without coordination, especially since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are open to talks with both the Syrian government and Russia.

The discussions also highlighted that, despite Israel's efforts to reduce Iranian influence in the region, it is unlikely that Trump will push for a withdrawal under the current situation.