Iraq’s Political Forces Discuss Plan to Present to Sadr

Iraqi protesters demand the dissolution of Parliament in the Green Zone in Baghdad. (AFP)
Iraqi protesters demand the dissolution of Parliament in the Green Zone in Baghdad. (AFP)
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Iraq’s Political Forces Discuss Plan to Present to Sadr

Iraqi protesters demand the dissolution of Parliament in the Green Zone in Baghdad. (AFP)
Iraqi protesters demand the dissolution of Parliament in the Green Zone in Baghdad. (AFP)

Iraqi political forces are scrambling to formulate a plan to present it to leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr, after the Arbaeen holiday early next week.

This came following statements issued by the Sovereignty Alliance and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

Sadr, for his part, did not comment on the statement that highlighted the two blocs’ commitment to form a government with full powers, in preparation for early elections. The announcement contradicted the Sadrist movement’s call on its political allies to withdraw from Parliament.

While the Sovereignty Alliance refrained from responding to Sadr’s request, the KDP warned that such crucial decisions could not be made through tweets, but following a constructive dialogue.

Meanwhile, the Coordination Framework political bloc welcomed on Monday the announcement of the Sovereignty Alliance and the Kurdistan Democratic Party to adhere to the constitutional option, by “holding early elections under the supervision of a government with full powers.”

The bloc said that it would maintain dialogue with all parties to revive the work of state institutions and form a government with full powers, in line with the constitution.

Information leaked by the country’s political circles showed that the situation began to change, with the separate visits conducted by US Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf, and the head of Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan, who have both influenced the Iraqi decision-makers - especially the Sunni and Kurdish players, while the Iraqi political forces have missed the repetitive trips of the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Esmail Ghaani, to Iraq, in the wake of the intra-Shiite crisis.

Identical sources reported that while Washington - through its assistant secretary of state - called for “listening to the voice of Sadr,” which means accepting, albeit implicitly, his call to allow President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to supervise the upcoming early elections, Fidan asked the Sunni alliance to form a new Iraqi government, given Türkiye’s need for Iraq’s stability, and to ensure the smooth operation of Turkish companies in the country.



Mali Accuses Algeria of Shooting Down Surveillance Drone, Recalls Ambassador

The drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometers south of the border with Algeria 
The drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometers south of the border with Algeria 
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Mali Accuses Algeria of Shooting Down Surveillance Drone, Recalls Ambassador

The drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometers south of the border with Algeria 
The drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometers south of the border with Algeria 

Mali accused neighboring Algeria of shooting down one of its surveillance drones near their shared border in a statement read out by the security minister on national TV on Sunday.

The West African country and its allies Burkina Faso and Niger recalled their ambassadors from Algeria for consultations over the incident, a separate joint statement said on Sunday.

Mali said the drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometers south of the border with Algeria after it was shot down in the night between March 31 and April 1.

The government said it had concluded “with absolute certainty that the Malian Armed Forces drone was destroyed in a premeditated hostile action by the Algerian regime.”

The three Sahel countries said in their joint statement that they energetically condemned the “irresponsible act by the Algerian regime.”

Algeria's Defense Ministry on April 1 said the army had shot down an “armed surveillance drone” that violated the North African country’s airspace near Tinzaouaten, a community that straddles the border, without providing further details.

Mali's army said in a statement at the time that one of its unmanned aircraft had crashed while on a routine surveillance mission.