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.



Israel Conducts More Ground Raids in Southern Lebanon, Strikes Beirut Suburbs

Rubble is scattered at the site of an Israeli overnight airstrike that targeted a house in the town of Ablah in Lebanon's Bekaa valley on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
Rubble is scattered at the site of an Israeli overnight airstrike that targeted a house in the town of Ablah in Lebanon's Bekaa valley on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
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Israel Conducts More Ground Raids in Southern Lebanon, Strikes Beirut Suburbs

Rubble is scattered at the site of an Israeli overnight airstrike that targeted a house in the town of Ablah in Lebanon's Bekaa valley on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
Rubble is scattered at the site of an Israeli overnight airstrike that targeted a house in the town of Ablah in Lebanon's Bekaa valley on October 5, 2024. (AFP)

The Israeli military said on Saturday that special forces were carrying out ground raids against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, destroying missiles, launchpads, watchtowers and weapons storage facilities.

The military said troops also dismantled tunnel shafts that Hezbollah used to approach the Israeli border.

Israeli airstrikes also hit areas in eastern Lebanon, according to state media. At least six people were killed, according to Lebanon’s state National News Agency (NNA).

Some 1,400 Lebanese, including Hezbollah fighters and civilians, have been killed and some 1.2 million driven from their homes since Israel escalated its strikes in late September aiming to cripple Hezbollah and push it away from the countries’ shared border.

On Tuesday, Israel launched a limited ground operation into southern Lebanon. Nine Israeli troops have been killed in close fighting in the area in the past few days, which is saturated with arms and explosives, the military said.

Beirut’s southern suburbs was hit by 12 Israeli airstrikes early Saturday, including one that badly damaged a large hall Hezbollah has used to hold ceremonies, said NNA.

Later in the day, more strikes hit the area, from which tens of thousands of people have fled over the past two weeks.