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Iraqi President Stresses: PMF Must Be Subject to State Authority

Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)
Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)
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Iraqi President Stresses: PMF Must Be Subject to State Authority

Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)
Iraqi President Barham Salih (Iraqi Presidency)

Iraqi President Barham Salih indicated that the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) were formed at a time when ISIS stormed Mosul and the country was facing a crisis, however, all these forces must now be subject to state authority.

Salih confirmed that there was an agreement between Baghdad and Washington on the complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

Baghdad and Washington do not want a permanent US military presence in Iraq, adding that Iran is “our neighbor and we want to integrate it into the regional framework, but we are also keen on maintaining our sovereignty.”

Speaking during an interview broadcast live online with the Beirut Institute think tank, Salih called for international cooperation to solve regional conflicts.

The president also addressed the problems of al-Hol camp, saying it housed many foreign fighters, and Iraq alone couldn't deal with the issue, urging international cooperation on the matter.

Salih also pointed out that the protest movement that swept Iraq in 2019 had an important goal as Iraqi youth took to the streets demanding reforms. He stressed that getting out of the decades of conflict required political will and a decision from the Iraqis themselves.

Iraq faces many regional challenges, said Salih, noting that his country is trying to bring the opposing parties together.

Salih also stated that most Iraqis want to move forward with the help of regional partners and friends to build a prosperous country.

“We do not want Iraq to turn into an area for conflicts," asserted the President.

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ICRC to Expand Syria Humanitarian Efforts beyond $100 Mln Program

A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
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ICRC to Expand Syria Humanitarian Efforts beyond $100 Mln Program

A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plans to expand its work in Syria significantly beyond an initial $100 million program, the organization's president said on Monday, citing pressing needs in the health, water and power sectors.
Syria requires $4.07 billion in aid this year, but only 33.1% has been funded, leaving a $2.73 billion gap, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The ICRC's expected expansion follows new access to all regions of the country after the toppling of president Bashar al-Assad last month.
"Our program originally for this year for Syria was $100 million, but we are likely to expand that significantly," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric told Reuters on the sidelines of a visit to the country.
She said individual donor countries had already come forward with an increase in funding for Syria.
ICRC was one of the few international organizations still operating in Syria under Assad's rule, working on infrastructure projects including water and electricity systems.
"We need to expand that work, we have a lot to do in the health sector," she added.
The organization is engaged in rehabilitation work to sustain water provision at 40% to 50% of what it was before the war, but protection of water facilities remains important as some are close to places where fighting is still under way.
"There are facilities next to the Euphrates Lake that are specific to the protection requirement at the moment," she said.
Initial assessments to begin immediate rehabilitation of Syria’s electricity systems are partly complete, but urgent financial investments and adjustments to sanctions are now required, she added.
"Certain spare parts need to be allowed to come in because that is also hampering the rehabilitation work at the moment. So there's a political dimension to it," she said.
Earlier, people briefed on the matter told Reuters that the US is set to announce an easing of restrictions on providing humanitarian aid and other basic services such as electricity to Syria while maintaining its strict sanctions regime.
On Sunday, Syria's new rulers said US sanctions were an obstacle to the country's rapid recovery and urged Washington to lift them, during a visit by Syrian officials to Qatar.