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.



Yemen's Houthis Shoot Down What Witnesses Say Was a US Drone, American Military Investigates

Supporters of Yemen's Houthis attend an anti-Israel rally in solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on November 1, 2024. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
Supporters of Yemen's Houthis attend an anti-Israel rally in solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on November 1, 2024. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
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Yemen's Houthis Shoot Down What Witnesses Say Was a US Drone, American Military Investigates

Supporters of Yemen's Houthis attend an anti-Israel rally in solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on November 1, 2024. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
Supporters of Yemen's Houthis attend an anti-Israel rally in solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on November 1, 2024. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)

Yemen's Houthi militants shot down what bystanders described as an American drone early Friday, potentially the latest downing of a US spy drone as the militants continue their attacks on the Red Sea corridor.
The US military acknowledged the videos circulating online showing what appeared to be a flaming aircraft dropping out of the sky and a field of burning debris in what those off-camera described as an area of Yemen's al-Jawf province. The military said it was investigating the incident, declining to elaborate further.
It wasn't immediately clear what kind of aircraft was shot down in the low-quality night video, The Associated Press said.
The Houthis have surface-to-air missiles capable of downing aircraft such as the Iranian missile known as the 358. Iran denies arming the group, though Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in seaborne shipments heading to Yemen for the Shiite Houthis despite a United Nations arms embargo.
The Houthis have been a key component of Iran's self-described “Axis of Resistance" during the Mideast wars that includes Lebanon's Hezbollah, Hamas and other militant groups.
The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for downing the aircraft. However, it can take their fighters hours or even days after an incident before they acknowledge it.
Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the militants have shot down MQ-9 Reaper drones in Yemen in 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024. The US military has declined to offer a total figure for the number of drones it has lost during that time.
Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the US military and the CIA over Yemen for years.
The Houthis have targeted more than 90 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well.
The militants maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. The tempo of the Houthi sea attacks also has waxed and waned over the months.
In October, the US military unleashed B-2 stealth bombers to target underground bunkers used by the Houthis.