Hamza Mustafa

Hamza Mustafa
Arab World Officials from the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga Ministry attend a security coordination meeting in Baghdad (government media)

Iraqi Factions Demand Law Bringing All Weapons Under State Control

Iraqi factions have renewed their demand that the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces be included in a plan to bring weapons under state control through a new…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Vehicles of the Iraqi army at the entrance to the capital Baghdad’s suburb of Sadr City. (AFP file)

Iraq Says Dialogue over Factions’ Weapons to Continue After Sept. 30 Deadline

The Iraqi government said on Thursday that the plan to impose state monopoly over weapons will begin after the complete withdrawal of anti-ISIS coalition…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (Reuters)

Disarmament Stalemate Casts Shadow Over Iraqi Government, Coordination Framework

Iraq’s ruling coalition has been forced to abandon plans to create deputy prime minister posts amid disputes over bringing weapons under state control, while…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World The State Administration Coalition meets on Saturday. (INA)

Iraq’s Governing Coalition Sidesteps Arms Issue, Warns of Fallout from Iran Sanctions

Iraq’s State Administration Coalition, which brings together Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish forces, sidestepped the issue of bringing weapons under state control…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Iraqi police manage a queue of vehicles outside a fuel station in Baghdad, Sept. 5, 2026. (AFP)

Iraq’s Coordination Framework, Armed Factions Hit Deadlock in Talks

Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework has hit a deadlock with armed factions refusing to surrender their weapons as the Sept. 30 deadline for the final US…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Some Iraqis with disabilities were among the victims of the crackdown on the 2019 Tishreen protests (Reuters)

Victims of Iraq’s Tishreen Protests Prepare to Sue Badr Organization Leader

Reactions continued to mount in Iraq over controversial remarks by Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri about the involvement of armed factions in…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Members of Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah carry the group’s flag in central Baghdad. (File photo - AFP)

Iraq’s Maliki Joins Chorus Rejecting Militia Disarmament

State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki has joined a growing chorus of critics of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government program, unanimously…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World A soldier from the US-led anti-ISIS coalition. (AFP file)

Baghdad Says Committed to Completing US Troop Withdrawal by End of Sept.

Baghdad remains committed to the upcoming September 30 deadline to end the military presence of international coalition forces in Iraq, sources said. Media…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)