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Iraq Condemns Turkish Attack on Sulaymaniyah Airport

The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)
The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)
    Baghdad, Qamishli - Fadhel al-Nashmi, Kamal Sheikho
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Iraq Condemns Turkish Attack on Sulaymaniyah Airport

The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)
The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)

Iraq demanded an apology from Turkiye over the drone attack that targeted the Sulaymaniyah International Airport on Friday in the Kurdistan region of Iraq without causing any casualties.

President Abdul Latif Rashid condemned the blatant Turkish attacks on Iraq and its sovereignty, saying: "Turkish military operations are repeated in the Kurdistan region, the latest of which was the bombing of the Sulaymaniyah civilian airport."

The presidency issued a statement affirming there was "no legal justification" that authorizes the Turkish forces to continue "terrorizing peaceful civilians under the pretext that hostile forces are in Iraq."

"In this regard, we call on the Turkish government to take responsibility and issue an official apology," the statement said.

In an unusual statement, the First Lady of Iraq, Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, strongly condemned Turkiye, accusing it of terrorism.

In a press conference in Sulaymaniyah, Ahmed accused "Turkish terrorism" of targeting citizens with drones and terrorist tools.

She warned that the "Turkish terrorist act" on the international airport affected the sovereignty of Iraq and Sulaymaniyah.

The leader of the Shiite Coordination Framework and the head of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, called on Turkiye to stop its attacks on Iraqi territory.

Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi also said the attack proved "the scale of foreign interference in Iraq."

The National Security Adviser, Qassem al-Araji, arrived in Sulaymaniyah at the head of a high-ranking security delegation under the direction of Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani.

Sources in the Turkish Defense Ministry denied any involvement in Friday's attack.

The sources told AFP that "Turkish armed forces undertook no such activity."

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) denied that the strike was intended to target its commander-in-chief, Mazloum Abdi, who was at the airport with members of the US forces at the time of the attack.

However, Abdi condemned the attack, saying these violations continue in Iraq and Syria and have serious dimensions against the region.

He accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of standing behind the attack, looking for a "free victory" ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and aiming to create chaos.

Meanwhile, the sharp division between the two main Kurdish parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), resurfaced with the attack.

The two parties exchanged accusations over the incident a few days after Turkiye banned transit flights over its territory to Sulaymaniyah Airport.

The vice president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, issued a scathing attack against the spokesman for the regional government, which the KDP primarily controls.

Talabani, a member of the PUK, indicated that Jotiar Adil is not a spokesman for the regional government but instead "represents only one party ... and cannot speak for the entire government."

Talabani also "strongly" condemned the attack on Sulaymaniyah Airport and considered it a dangerous escalation against the civilians.

Earlier, Adil asserted in a statement that the Regional Government is concerned about the situation in all parts of the region and is doing its best to eliminate the effects of the two administrations and serve all the citizens without obstacles or discrimination.

He accused the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan of obstructing the government and its institutions, saying that instead of helping and resolving issues through official channels, Talabani disavows responsibility and is not committed to his tenure as deputy prime minister.

For his part, the governor of Sulaymaniyah, Haval Abubakir, confirmed there were no casualties due to the air strike, calling on all political parties to "end their differences and not make Kurdistan a victim of their disputes."

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Arab World

Israel’s President Says ‘Shocking’ Settler Violence Against Palestinians Must End

Palestinians and journalists survey damage in an industrial zone following an attack by Israeli settlers the previous day in the West Bank village of Beit Lid, near Tulkarm, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians and journalists survey damage in an industrial zone following an attack by Israeli settlers the previous day in the West Bank village of Beit Lid, near Tulkarm, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP)
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Israel’s President Says ‘Shocking’ Settler Violence Against Palestinians Must End

Palestinians and journalists survey damage in an industrial zone following an attack by Israeli settlers the previous day in the West Bank village of Beit Lid, near Tulkarm, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians and journalists survey damage in an industrial zone following an attack by Israeli settlers the previous day in the West Bank village of Beit Lid, near Tulkarm, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP)

The president of Israel on Wednesday condemned what he called a "shocking and serious" attack by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, calling for an end to a growing wave of settler violence in the occupied territory.

President Isaac Herzog's comments added a rare and powerful voice to what has been muted criticism by top Israeli officials of the settler violence. Herzog's position, while largely ceremonial, is meant to serve as a moral compass and unifying force for the country.

Herzog said the violence committed by a "handful" of perpetrators "crosses a red line," adding in a social media post that "all state authorities must act decisively to eradicate the phenomenon."

His remarks came after dozens of masked Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf in the West Bank on Tuesday, setting fire to vehicles and other property before clashing with Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, echoed Herzog, saying the military "will not tolerate the phenomena of a minority of criminals who tarnish a law-abiding public."

He said the army is committed to stopping violent acts committed by settlers, which he described as contrary to Israeli values and that "divert the attention of our forces from fulfilling their mission."

The chief of the military's Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, said responding to an "anarchist fringe" requires the use of significant resources that could otherwise be focused on bolstering security and conducting counterterrorism operations.

The army said the settlers who attacked the villages fled to a nearby industrial zone and attacked soldiers responding to the violence, damaging a military vehicle. Police said four Israelis were arrested, while the military said four Palestinians were wounded.

On Wednesday, police said three of the suspects were released and that one, a minor arrested on suspicion of arson and assault, will remain in custody for six more days, as ordered by a judge. Police said the actions of the three who were released are still under investigation "with the goal of bringing offenders to justice, regardless of their background."

Settler violence has surged

Tuesday's violence in the West Bank was the latest in a series of attacks by young settlers that have surged since the war in Gaza erupted two years ago. The attacks have intensified in recent weeks as Palestinians harvest their olive trees in an annual ritual.

The UN humanitarian office last week reported more Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank in October than in any other month since it began keeping track in 2006. There were over 260 attacks, the office said.

Palestinians and human rights workers accuse the Israeli army and police of failing to halt attacks by settlers. Israel’s government is dominated by far-right proponents of the settler movement including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who formulates settlement policy, and Cabinet minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the nation's police force.

Muayyad Shaaban, who heads an office in the Palestinian Authority that is tracking the violence, said the settlers set fire to four dairy trucks, farmland, tin shacks and tents belonging to a Bedouin community.

He said the attacks were part of a campaign to drive Palestinians from their land and accused Israel of giving the settlers protection and immunity. He called for sanctions against groups that "sponsor and support the colonial settlement terrorism project."

Palestinians react angrily

In Beit Lid, residents said they don't want their lives ruled by fear of settler violence.

Mahmoud Edeis said the violence is undermining his family's right to live in safety.

"To feel that my children are safe, that when I go to sleep I can say, ‘Okay, there’s nothing (to worry about),’" he said. "But at any moment something could happen ... This can’t go on. It can’t be that we keep living our whole lives in a state of fear and danger."

Amjad Amer Al-Juneidi, who works at a dairy factory that was attacked Tuesday, said the "fully organized" attack saw one person carrying gasoline-filled cans, another prying open the factory door with a crowbar and a third individual igniting the fuel.

"Their entry into the company wasn’t random. It was organized, and they had a fully organized tactic for how to carry out the burning," Al-Juneidi said.

Arab World

Lebanese Say Israel Preventing Post-war Reconstruction

Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon to prevent the group from rebuilding its strength in breach of a ceasefire, but local people complain it is destroying civilian reconstruction efforts (AFP/MAHHMOUD ZAYYAT)
Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon to prevent the group from rebuilding its strength in breach of a ceasefire, but local people complain it is destroying civilian reconstruction efforts (AFP/MAHHMOUD ZAYYAT)
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Lebanese Say Israel Preventing Post-war Reconstruction

Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon to prevent the group from rebuilding its strength in breach of a ceasefire, but local people complain it is destroying civilian reconstruction efforts (AFP/MAHHMOUD ZAYYAT)
Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon to prevent the group from rebuilding its strength in breach of a ceasefire, but local people complain it is destroying civilian reconstruction efforts (AFP/MAHHMOUD ZAYYAT)

When engineer Tarek Mazraani started campaigning for the reconstruction of war-battered southern Lebanon, Israeli drones hovered ominously overhead -- their loudspeakers sometimes calling him out by name.

Despite a ceasefire struck last November aiming to put an end to more than a year of fighting with Hezbollah, Israel has kept up near-daily strikes on Lebanon.

In addition to hitting alleged militants, it has recently also targeted bulldozers, excavators and prefabricated houses, often saying they were part of efforts to restore Hezbollah infrastructure.

The bombing has prevented tens of thousands of people from returning to their homes, and has made rebuilding heavily-damaged border villages -- like Mazraani's Hula -- almost impossible.
"For us, the war has not ended," Mazraani, 61, told AFP.

"We can't return to our villages, rebuild or even check on our homes."

In cash-strapped Lebanon, authorities have yet to begin reconstruction efforts, and have been hoping for international support.
They have also blamed Israeli strikes for preventing efforts to rebuild, which the World Bank estimates could cost $11 billion.

Eager to go back home, Mazraani established the "Association of the Residents of Border Villages" to call for the return of displaced people and the start of reconstruction.

He even started making plans to rebuild homes he had previously designed.

But in October, Israeli drones flew over southern villages, broadcasting a message through loudspeakers.

They called out Mazraani by name and urged residents to expel him, implicitly accusing him of having ties with Hezbollah, which he denies.

Asked by AFP, the Israeli army would not say on what basis they accuse Mazraani of working with Hezbollah.

"They are bombing prefabricated houses, and not allowing anyone to get close to the border," said Mazraani, who has moved to Beirut for fear of Israel's threats.

"They are saying: no reconstruction before handing over the weapons," he added, referring to Israel's demand that Hezbollah disarm.

Amnesty International has estimated that "more than 10,000 structures were heavily damaged or destroyed" between October of last year -- when Israel launched a ground offensive into southern Lebanon -- and late January.

It noted that much of the destruction followed the November 2024 truce that took effect after two months of open war.

Just last month, Israeli strikes destroyed more than 300 bulldozers and excavators in yards in the Msaileh area, one of which belonged to Ahmed Tabaja, 65.

Surrounded by burned-out machinery, his hands stained black, Tabaja said he hoped to repair just five of his 120 vehicles destroyed in the strikes -- a devastating loss amounting to five million dollars.

"Everyone knows there is nothing military here," he insisted.

The yards, located near the highway, are open and visible. "There is nothing to hide," he said.

In a nearby town, Hussein Kiniar, 32, said he couldn't believe his eyes as he surveyed the heavy machinery garage his father built 30 years ago.

He said Israel struck the family's yard twice: first during the war, and again in September after it was repaired. The first strike cost five million dollars, and the second added another seven million in losses, he estimated.

"I watched everything burn right before my eyes," Kiniar said.

The Israeli army said that day it had targeted "a Hezbollah site in the Ansariyah area of southern Lebanon, which stored engineering vehicles intended to rebuild the terrorist organization's capabilities and support its terrorist activity."

Kiniar denied that he or the site were linked to Hezbollah. "We are a civilian business," he said.

In October, Israel killed two engineers working for a company sanctioned by the United States over alleged Hezbollah ties.

Under US pressure and fearing an escalation in strikes, the Lebanese government has moved to begin disarming Hezbollah, a plan the movement and its allies oppose.

But Israel accuses Beirut of acting too slowly and, despite the stipulation in the ceasefire that it withdraw, it maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, insists Israel pull back, stop its attacks and allow reconstruction to begin before it can discuss the fate of its weapons.

In the aftermath of the 2006 war with Israel, Hezbollah spearheaded rebuilding in the south, with much of the effort financed by Iran.

But this time, the group's financial dealings have been under heightened scrutiny.

It has insisted the state should fund post-war reconstruction, and it has only paid compensation for its own associates' rent and repairs.

For three long seasons, olive grower Mohammed Rizk, 69, hasn't been able to cultivate his land.

He now lives with his son just outside the city of Nabatiyeh, having been forced out of his border village where his once-vibrant grove lies neglected.

"The war hasn't ended," he said. "It will only be over when we return home."

Arab World

Iraq's Sudani Secures 'Major Victory' in General Election: Sources Close to PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani holds a ballot paper to cast his vote in the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 November 2025. EPA/CEERWAN AZIZ
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani holds a ballot paper to cast his vote in the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 November 2025. EPA/CEERWAN AZIZ
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Iraq's Sudani Secures 'Major Victory' in General Election: Sources Close to PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani holds a ballot paper to cast his vote in the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 November 2025. EPA/CEERWAN AZIZ
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani holds a ballot paper to cast his vote in the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 November 2025. EPA/CEERWAN AZIZ

The list backing incumbent Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has scored a big win in parliament after elections, sources close to his alliance told AFP on Wednesday.

Sudani's "Reconstruction and Development list has secured a major victory" following the vote on Tuesday, an official close to the premier told AFP.

Another two sources said the premier's alliance has "won the largest bloc,” with approximately 50 seats.

Iraq's electoral commission is expected to announce preliminary results later this evening.

Iraqis cast their ballots on Tuesday, with a high turnout of more than 55 percent, a sharp jump from the record low of 41 percent in 2021.