Shafaq News- Duhok

Authorities in Duhok destroyed 608 landmines and explosiveremnants of war collected across the province in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,since the start of 2026, an official said on Thursday.

Riker Besfki, media officer at Duhok’s Directorate of MineAffairs, told Shafaq News that a large portion of the materials had been buriedunderground, with recent heavy rainfall exposing them in several areas, addingthat the disposal operation was carried out as part of routine campaigns by theGeneral Directorate of Mine Affairs.

On January 8, 2026, the authority reported that landmineincidents across the region in 2025 killed or injured 29 people, with many ofthe devices dating back to mines the former Iraqi army planted during theIran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Iraq is considered one of the most heavily contaminatedcountries in the world with landmines and unexploded ordnance, according tolocal and international reports, posing ongoing threats to civilians andcausing fatalities and permanent injuries decades after successive conflicts.

Read more: Floods unearth Iraq’s hidden mines, reviving a wartime threat

Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader, Masoud Barzani, said Thursday he would not accept the “manipulation” of Kirkuk voters' will through "suspicious Rashid Hotel deals."

His remarks came as the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) confirmed it would participate in a provincial council session to implement a two-year-old power-sharing agreement set to hand the governorship to a Turkmen figure -the first time a non-Kurdish official would hold the post. PUK spokesman Karwan Gaznei said in a statement that the rotation was the result of a prior agreement and represented "a normal democratic process," adding that "no position is a political inheritance."

A provincial council member told Shafaq News the governor's resignation had been submitted in writing from the outset as part of the political deal, while Governor Rebwar Taha's media office insisted he remained in post and had submitted no resignation letter to the council.

The dispute traces back to August 2024, when more than half the provincial council elected Taha as governor at a session in Baghdad's Rashid Hotel -boycotted by the KDP, Turkmens, and several Arab members- leaving the administration disputed from day one.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Authorities in Al-Sulaymaniyah, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,marked Kurdistan Environment Day on Thursday with a series of environmentalactivities, including large-scale tree planting campaigns across the city.

Ali Hamed, spokesperson for the province’s ParksDirectorate, told Shafaq News that the activities are part of a broader programset to continue in the coming days. He added that several organizations willalso launch awareness campaigns to promote environmental responsibility, notingthat “Al-Sulaymaniyah maintains relatively strong environmental conditions dueto its green spaces, which exceed international standards.”

At a press conference, Maarouf Majeed, head of the FutureOrganization for Environmental Protection, stated that the Kurdistan Parliamentin 2008 designated April 16 as an environmental symbol coinciding with theanniversary of the 1987 chemical bombardment campaigns carried out by theBaathist regime.

“The occasion does not receive sufficient attention fromgovernment institutions, civil society organizations, or the media,” he said,urging the Ministry of Agriculture to capitalize on this year’s rainfall toexpand vegetation cover and increase green spaces to strengthen environmentalresilience.

Majeed pointed out that key environmental challenges in theKurdistan Region include encroachment on agricultural land, rising pollutionlevels, urban expansion, and population growth, “all of which have negativelyaffected environmental conditions.”

Read more: Iraq’s water crisis deepens: Reserves collapse, mismanagement continues

Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdish Ministry of Interior on Thursday renewed calls for a jointadministration in Iraq’s Kirkuk province, as political tensions escalated overefforts to remove current Governor Rebwar Taha.

During a press conference, Kurdish Interior Minister Rebar Ahmedunderlined that Kirkuk’s governance should reflect all communities and bealigned with electoral outcomes, calling for compliance with constitutionalprovisions, including Article 140 on disputed territories.

He also criticized the current provincial administration, describing itsformation as the result of what he described as a “suspicious deal” atBaghdad’s Rashid Hotel, while rejecting efforts to rotate the governorship toIraqi Turkmen Front leader Mohammed Samaan.

The dispute traces back to an August 10, 2024 session of the provincialcouncil in Baghdad, where Taha was elected governor in a vote boycotted byseveral Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen members, leaving the administrationcontested from the outset. Tensions have since resurfaced amid reports of aprevious power-sharing understanding under which Taha, a senior official in thePatriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), would step aside in favor of a Turkmen candidate.His office, however, maintains that he remains in post and has not submittedany resignation.

Earlier today, dozens of residents of Kirkuk, most of them Kurds,demonstrated in front of the provincial headquarters, rejecting calls forTaha’s removal. According to a Shafaq News correspondent, protesters carriedbanners and chanted slogans in support of the current administration, warningthat any change at this stage could trigger political and security tensions inthe ethnically diverse province.

Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdistan Region on Thursday marked the anniversary ofthe 1987 chemical attack on Kurdish villages, describing the assault as one ofthe most serious crimes carried out under Iraq’s former Baathist regime, whilerenewing calls for compensation for victims’ families.

In a statement, Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani commemoratedthe victims of the chemical bombardment of Balisan, Sheikh Wasanan and theKhoshnawati Valley, noting that the attacks marked the start of a broaderpattern of chemical strikes against Kurdish civilians.

Describing the 1987 operation as a major crime targeting“not only people but also the land and natural surroundings of Kurdistan,” henoted that the affected areas had long supported the Kurdish cause and thePeshmerga.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also markedthe anniversary, honoring the victims and pointing to what he described as thesacrifices of residents in the affected areas. In a post on X, he reiteratedcalls for Baghdad to compensate families of Anfal victims.

On the 39th anniversary of the chemical attacks on Balisan, Sheikh Wasanan, and Khoshnawati Valley, we honor the martyrs of this massacre with pride and reverence, and express deep appreciation for the struggle and sacrifice of the resilient people of these areas.We emphasize… pic.twitter.com/I5pwrlMS6v

— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) April 16, 2026

About the Genocide

Carried out on April 16, 1987, the chemical attacks killed263 people and injured more than 620. The assault forms part of the Anfalcampaign, which began in 1986, escalated in 1988, and continued through 1989.

Led by Ali Hassan al-Majid —infamously known as “ChemicalAli,” he served as Secretary General of the Baath Party’s Northern Bureau andmilitary governor of the region, while military operations were commanded byformer Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim. On May 3, 2011, the Iraqi HighCriminal Court classified the Anfal campaign as a “crime against humanity andgenocide,” convicting al-Majid, who was also responsible for the chemicalattack on Halabja. He received a death sentence and was executed on January 25,2010.

Shafaq News- Erbil

A drone strike targeted the “Bak Shar” camp belonging to KurdistanFreedom Party north of Erbil early Thursday, Khalil Kanisanani, spokespersonfor the group, said, adding that the strike destroyed two houses with no casualtiesreported.

The attack comes as the Kurdistan Region’s Interior Ministrynoted that several drones had targeted multiple locations across the regiondespite the declared truce, focusing on camps and headquarters of IranianKurdish opposition groups.

No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacksfollowing the ceasefire. In previous incidents, Iran’s Islamic RevolutionaryGuard Corps (IRGC) and the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” a network ofIran-aligned armed factions, have claimed strikes targeting sites linked to theUS presence as well as bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

The Kurdistan Democratic Party(KDP) bloc in Kirkuk’s Provincial Council said on Wednesday it will boycott asession scheduled for Thursday to elect a new governor, describing the move asa “principled position” against what it called the marginalization of the province’sgenuine representation.

In a statement, the bloc said theboycott reflects its longstanding political stance, recalling its previousrefusal to attend the well-known “Rashid Hotel meeting.” It stressed thatdetermining Kirkuk’s future “cannot take place behind closed doors or throughdeals that ignore the city’s legitimate representatives.”

The bloc rejected participationin what it described as a political process driven by external pressures at theexpense of local aspirations, warning that imposing decisions without publicconsent could harm the province’s fragile coexistence.

“We remain committed to Barzani’senduring approach and are prepared, as always, to bear the cost of defendingnational rights,” the statement said, adding that “positions hold no value ifthe price is subordination or silence over the marginalization of originalcomponents.”

The statement affirmed that thebloc seeks to remain an inclusive umbrella for all communities in Kirkuk,adding that its support for any future political agreement depends on fairness,equal rights, and prioritizing the province’s interests over partisanconsiderations.

Attention is focused onThursday’s emergency session of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, which isexpected to address the position of governor amid intensified politicalactivity.

Earlier on Wednesday, the mediaoffice of Kirkuk Governor Rebar Taha confirmed that he continues to carry outhis official duties, denying reports that he had submitted his resignation.

However, political indicationssuggest that Taha’s resignation could be activated during the session as partof arrangements to elect a successor. Among the names under consideration isMohammed Samaan, head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, as part of a broader agreementto rotate key positions among the province’s ethnic components.

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesdaypraised France’s support for Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, and its rolein promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.

During a meeting withFrench Ambassador to Iraq Patrick Durel, the two sides reviewed recent regionaldevelopments and their impact on security, expressing hope that the ceasefirewill hold and pave the way for an end to the conflict and a lasting settlement.

سەرۆک نێچیرڤان بارزانی و باڵیۆزی فەرەنسا دۆخی ناوچەکە و پرۆسەی سیاسی تاوتوێ دەکەنhttps://t.co/zCKLwsuV3Q pic.twitter.com/XWZRBlsz5e

— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) April 15, 2026

The talks also addressed political developments in Baghdadand Erbil, highlighting the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding inresolving disputes.

Shafaq News- Erbil

A drone attack on Wednesday targeted a headquarters ofthe Iranian Kurdish opposition Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) inErbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, a senior party member toldShafaq News.

Karim Parwizi said the strike hit a site in the Degalaarea without causing casualties.

No details were released on damage or thoseresponsible, and authorities have yet to issue an official account of theincident.

Since hostilities escalated between the United States,Iran, and Israel on February 28, the Kurdistan Region has faced around 650missile and drone incidents affecting diplomatic facilities, sites linked toIranian Kurdish opposition groups, Peshmerga positions, oil fields,communication networks, residential areas, and public infrastructure, leavingabout 16 people dead and 100 injured.

Read more: 650 Strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan: How deniability became a weapon

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani marked the Yazidi New Yearon Wednesday with a message of support, underlining calls for coexistence,security, and protection of rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

In a post on X, Barzani noted that the Region continues to represent ashared home for all communities, stressing coexistence, tolerance, and mutualacceptance across its diverse population.

Cejna sersala Êzidiyan li hemû xuşk û bira û welatiyên me yên Êzidî li Kurdistanê, Iraqê û li her dera cîhanê bin, bi germî û ji dil pîroz dikim. Hêviya cejneke aram û pir xweşî ji wan hemûyan re dixwazim, hêvîdar im ev sersal bibe destpêka saleke tije serkeftin û tenahî.Di vê…

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) April 15, 2026

The Yazidi community observes its New Year (Sere Sal) on the firstWednesday of the Eastern calendar month of April. The celebration takes placethrough religious rituals and cultural traditions in Sinjar, Baaj, and Sheikhanin Iraq’s Nineveh province. Earlier, the Yazidi Spiritual Council canceledformal prayers and religious ceremonies for this year’s celebrations, citingthe current security situation.

Read more: More than 80 displaced families return to Sinjar despite challenges

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

A drone attack targeted a position of the Iranian oppositiongroup Komala in Al-Sulaymaniyah province, killing one member of the group, asecurity source told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

Ghazal Mola, a fighter within Komala forces, died fromsevere injuries sustained in the strike that hit the Surdash camp, the sourceadded.

Earlier in the day, another security source reported thatsites belonging to Komala in the Surdash area had come under attack by drones.

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan RegionCounter-Terrorism Directorate on Tuesday reported the downing of twoexplosive-laden drones over Erbil, without casualties or damage.

The aircraft were detected at17:04 local time after being launched from Iranian territory toward theprovince, with warplanes intercepting both before reaching their targets.

Since hostilities escalatedbetween the United States, Iran, and Israel on February 28, the KurdistanRegion has faced around 650 missile and drone incidents affecting diplomaticfacilities, sites linked to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, Peshmerga positions,oil fields, communication networks, residential areas, and publicinfrastructure, leaving about 16 people dead and 100 injured.

Read more: 650 Strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan: How deniability became a weapon

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

A drone strike on Tuesdaytargeted positions belonging to the Iranian Kurdish opposition group Komala inIraq’s Kurdistan Region, a security source told Shafaq News.

The attack hit sites in theSurdas area of Al-Sulaymaniyah province, with no confirmed information oncasualties or damage. Authorities have not issued an official account of theincident or identified those responsible.

Since hostilities escalated between the United States, Iran, and Israel on February 28, the Kurdistan Region has faced around 650 missile anddrone incidents affecting diplomatic facilities, sites linked to IranianKurdish opposition groups, Peshmerga positions, oil fields, communication networks,residential areas, and public infrastructure, leaving about 16 people dead and100 injured.

Read more: 650 Strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan: How deniability became a weapon

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Residents of Chamchamal district in Al-Sulaymaniyah province gathered onTuesday to mark the anniversary of the Anfal campaign in an informal popularceremony, held in the absence of any official events, according to ShafaqNews correspondent.

Families of the Anfal victims said "their wounds are renewed eachyear with the return of this anniversary," describing the campaigns as"a grave injustice that targeted the very existence of the Kurdish peopleand was carried out as part of deliberate Baathist policies." They said"they have yet to receive their full rights as guaranteed by law and theconstitution," and called on both the Baghdad government and the KurdistanRegional Government to give greater attention to their cause and providedignified living conditions in their areas following years of displacement.

The Chamchamal district administration had announced on Monday that noofficial ceremonies would be held this year due to general circumstances.Official participation was limited to a brief appearance by the governor ofAl-Sulaymaniyah and several political figures, who laid wreaths at thecommemoration site without organizing formal events.

April 14 marks the 38th anniversary of the Anfal campaigns, carried outby Saddam Hussein's regime against Kurdish civilians in 1988. The operationsran from February 22 to September 6 of that year across eight phases, targetingwide areas of Kurdistan, including Al-Sulaymaniyah, Qaradagh, Garmian, andBadinan. They involved multiple military and security formations, including thearmy, air force, Republican Guard, and intelligence services. Estimates indicate the campaigns resulted in the deaths of approximately182,000 Kurdish civilians, the destruction of more than 4,500 villages, and theuse of internationally prohibited weapons, including chemical arms. Thecampaign was led by Ali Hassan al-Majid, infamously known as "ChemicalAli," who served as Secretary General of the Baath Party's Northern Bureauand military governor of the region, while military operations were commandedby former Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim. The chemical attack on Halabjaon March 16, 1988, one of the most prominent episodes of the Anfal, killed morethan 5,000 civilians, the majority of them women and children.

The Anfal operations were classified as genocide under internationalstandards and by the Iraqi High Criminal Court, which issued death sentencesand life imprisonment verdicts in 2007 against several officials from theformer regime, most notably al-Majid and Sultan Hashim. On May 3, 2011, thecourt further confirmed the genocide classification, having previouslyconvicted al-Majid —who was also responsible for the Halabja chemical attack—and sentenced him to death. He was executed on January 25, 2010. 

Read more: Kurdistan remains a steadfast haven for the persecuted 40 years after the Anfal genocide

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) warned on Tuesdaythat selecting Iraq’s president without Kurdish consensus could undermine theKurdistan Region’s rights, days after parliament elected Nizar Amedi of thePatriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), its main Kurdish rival.

Speaking at a press conference, Ali Hussein, a memberof the KDP’s political bureau in Al-Sulaymaniyah, stressed that the party holdsno objection to the current president or any individual candidate, but“reserves its position on the mechanism of election.” He underlined that, since2003, the presidency has been allocated to the Kurdish component throughinternal agreement among Kurdish parties.

Hussein cautioned that resolving the post throughalliances with non-Kurdish blocs, rather than intra-Kurdish consensus, maycarry political consequences. “This entitlement should be resolved within theKurdish house,” he noted, referring to Kurdish lawmakers in parliament.

On relations with the PUK, Hussein described ties as“good,” while acknowledging that coordination has slowed due to recentpolitical developments and regional tensions.

The Kurdish official also confirmed ongoing meetingsin Erbil between the KDP’s parliamentary bloc and its governmentrepresentatives in Baghdad to reassess Iraq’s political trajectory,particularly following the presidential vote and discussions over forming thenext government. The talks aim to present proposals for navigating the nextphase amid broader regional instability.

On April 11, Iraq’s parliament elected Amedi aspresident in a second round of voting with 227 votes, after previous attemptsfailed to secure quorum amid Kurdish divisions over a joint candidate. Lawmakersfrom the KDP, the largest Kurdish bloc, boycotted the session, as party leader MasoudBarzani opposed proceeding with the presidential election without broaderpolitical agreement, including alignment on forming the next government.

Read more: Iraq's Presidential vote was a coalition rehearsal —and the premiership battle has already begun

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Region President NechirvanBarzani on Tuesday urged Baghdad to compensate victims of the Anfal campaign,marking the 38th anniversary of what he described as “a horrific act” committedby Iraq’s former regime.

Barzani said the campaign killedmore than 182,000 civilians, calling it “a brutal attempt to eradicate apeaceful people,” which left “deep scars that continue to affect our nationtoday.”

ئەمڕۆ یادی به‌ئازارى (38) ساڵەی شاڵاوە بەدناوەکانی ئەنفالى 1988 دەکەینەوە. ئەو تاوانه‌ سامناكه‌ى ڕژێمی پێشووی عێراق ئه‌نجامى دا كه‌ زياتر لە 182 هەزار منداڵ، ئافره‌ت، پیاو و گەنجی بێتاوانى كوردستانى، تيايدا بوونە قوربانی. ئه‌نفال ته‌نيا تاوانێك نه‌بوو، به‌ڵكوو هەوڵی نه‌زۆكى…

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) April 14, 2026

While calling for material and moralcompensation in line with rulings by Iraq’s High Criminal Court, Barzanireaffirmed efforts to secure international recognition of Anfal as genocide,and highlighted ongoing work to locate mass graves, return victims’ remains tothe homeland, and expand services for affected families.

He stressed that safeguarding theKurdistan Region’s constitutional status requires unity among political forces,describing such cooperation as “the highest form of respect for the martyrs’sacrifices” and a guarantee for future generations.

About TheGenocide

The Anfal campaign, which began in 1986, intensified in 1988, and continued through 1989,was led by Ali Hassan al-Majid —infamously known as "Chemical Ali."He served as Secretary General of the Baath Party’s Northern Bureau andmilitary governor of the region, while the military operations were commandedby former Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim.

On May 3,2011, the Iraqi High Criminal Court classified the Anfal campaign as a “crimeagainst humanity and genocide,” convicting al-Majid, who was also behind thechemical attack on Halabja. He was sentenced to death and executed on January25, 2010.

TheKurdistan Regional Government has designated April 14 annually as a day ofremembrance for the victims of this genocide.

Shafaq News- Duhok

The Yazidi Spiritual Council has canceled all publicgatherings and ceremonies for the Yazidi New Year, known as Red Wednesday*, atLalish Temple this year due to security concerns, an official told Shafaq News onMonday.

Khaled Narmo, advisor to the Yazidi prince and member of thecouncil said that the decision applies only to public ceremonies at Lalish anddoes not affect traditional practices observed in private settings. Religiousrituals and traditions within villages and homes will continue as usual,including egg coloring and other customary practices, but on a smaller scalewith limited gatherings.

Narmo said the move aims to protect the safety of citizensand visitors amid the current situation in the Kurdistan Region and surroundingareas.

The faith, which belongs to the broader Yazdani religioustradition, has historical ties to the Yazidi and Yarsani communities. Accordingto the Minority Rights Group, Iraq is home to an estimated 110,000 to 200,000Kakais, with most living in areas southeast of Kirkuk, the Nineveh Plains, andprovinces such as Diyala, Erbil, and al-Sulaymaniyah.

The Yazidis, an ancient monotheistic religious minority innorthern Iraq, were targeted when ISIS attacked Sinjar in August 2014 in anassault later classified as genocide by the United Nations and itsinvestigative body, UNITAD. Thousands were killed or kidnapped, according to UNdocumentation, while Amnesty International —citing the Office for KidnappedYazidis in Duhok— estimates about 2,600 remain missing; Save the Childrenreports more than 1,300 children are still unaccounted for.

Read more: Between ritual and remembrance: Yazidis mark Ezi Feast

*Red Wednesday marks the Yazidi New Year and is the mostimportant religious occasion for the Yazidi community, traditionally celebratedat Lalish, their holiest site.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Flights resumed on Monday at Jalal Talabani International Airport inAl-Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region, after a suspension lasting more than40 days imposed by Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Dana Mohammed, the airport’s media director, told Shafaq News that thefirst flight departed at dawn for Jordan, with a return flight scheduled laterthe same day. Operations restarted in line with a schedule issued by the AviationAuthority, with regular inbound and outbound flights expected to continue inthe coming days.

The suspension stemmed from security risks to civil aviation linkedto the recent military escalation involving the United States, Israel, andIran, before authorities reopened Iraq’s airspace on April 8, citing restoredstability and a return to normal conditions.

Shafaq News-Al-Sulaymaniyah

UAE-based DanaGas resumed production at the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s Kurdistan Regionafter partially halting operations in recent weeks due to escalating regionaltensions, the company announced on Monday.

In a statement,the company said it implemented precautionary measures to ensure a “safe andorderly” restart, in coordination with relevant government authorities.

Dana Gasemphasized that protecting personnel, infrastructure, and assets remains a toppriority, adding that it will continue production under “high safety andefficiency standards” to support energy supplies in Kurdistan.

Sincehostilities escalated between the United States, Iran, and Israel on February28, the Kurdistan Region has absorbed around 650 missile and drone attacks,leaving about 16 people dead and 100 others injured, prompting operators toscale back activity at key energy sites, including Khor Mor of Al-Sulaymaniyahprovince.

Read more: 650 Strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan: How deniability became a weapon

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday congratulated theelection of Archbishop Emil Shimoun Nona as the new Patriarch of the ChaldeanCatholic Church, linking the appointment to efforts to strengthen coexistenceand tolerance in Iraq.

Barzani described Nona as a prominent religious figure with broadspiritual and humanitarian experience, noting that his election could reinforcevalues of peaceful coexistence and acceptance among Iraq’s diverse communities.

سه‌رۆك نێچيرڤان بارزانى پیرۆزبایی له‌ پاتریارکی نوێی کلدان ده‌كاتhttps://t.co/4xCH2iWTsk pic.twitter.com/gs0y21TrGu

— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) April 12, 2026

Reaffirming that the Kurdistan Region will continue to serve as a safehaven for all religious and ethnic groups, he underscored his ongoing supportfor Christian citizens in protecting their rights, identity, and historicalpresence across the region and Iraq.

Read more: Iraqi Kurdistan’s pluralism: A living model of coexistence

Earlier today, the Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Church confirmed theelection of Nona as a Patriarch, succeeding Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, whostepped down in March after 13 years in office to focus on prayer and writing.

Shafaq News- Erbil

Markets in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region,have regained activity, with commercial movement and consumer spending pickingup after a slowdown linked to recent US–Iran tensions.

Following the de-escalation and full reopening of airspace,central Erbil —particularly around the historic Citadel— has filled again withresidents and tourists, as shopping centers and traditional markets resumenormal activity.

During the tensions, many customers limited purchases toessential goods, while traders closely monitored flight operations due to theirreliance on air imports and cargo. “Everyone was asking about flights,” shopowner Tahseen Mohammed told Shafaq News, adding that orders have resumed withthe return of air traffic.

Market workers estimate activity has increased by around 30%after the reopening of airspace, which had forced the cancellation of dozens ofbookings for both business travelers and tourists.

Travel plans that had been delayed during the escalation arenow moving forward again. “Once we heard the airspace had reopened, we bookedimmediately and came to Erbil,” said Alaa al-Qaisi, who arrived from Hilla citywith his family for a weekend visit.

He described the capital as lively, with active markets,reasonable prices, and an atmosphere that encourages visitors to spend time andshop.

Read more: Discover Kurdistan: The Middle East's best-kept travel secret

Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Saturday rejected Iraq’s presidential election, saying the process “violated” parliament’s internal regulations and that it would not recognize the outcome.

The party said parliament scheduled the session without consultation, describing the move as a breach of its approved procedures.

ڕاگەیاندراوێک لە مەکتەبى سیاسیى پارتى دیموکراتى کوردستانەوەهاووڵاتیانى خۆشەویستى کوردستان و عێراقئەمڕۆ، 11ى نیسانى 2026، لە ئەنجوومەنى نوێنەرانى عێراق بەشێوەیەک پڕۆسەى هەڵبژاردنى سەرۆککۆمار بەڕێوەچوو، کە لە دەرەوەى پەیڕەوى ناوخۆى پەسەندکراوى ئەنجوومەنەکە بوو، سەرۆکایەتى… pic.twitter.com/PCquFXJsDI

— KDP ForeignRelations (@kdpfro) April 11, 2026

“The presidency is an entitlement of the people of Kurdistan,” it added, criticizing the selection of a candidate from outside the Region who was nominated by a party –referencing the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)– and backed by other political forces.

The KDP said it would not recognize or engage with anyone chosen through what it described as an “illegitimate process” as a representative of the majority of Kurdistan. Its parliamentary bloc boycotted the session, which the party said should have resulted in the withdrawal of its candidate from the election process.

For now, the party revealed that its blocs in parliament and the federal government have returned to the Kurdistan Region to assess the situation and “monitor developments.”

Earlier today, new President Nizar Amedi secured 227 votes in a second-round runoff after no candidate met the two-thirds threshold in the initial vote. A senior PUK leader and former environment minister, Amedi has held multiple senior roles within Iraq’s presidency since 2005, including chief of staff to three presidents, and currently serves in the State Administration Coalition.

Read more: Iraq picks Nizar Amedi as sixth president 

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

The Kurdish Short Film Festival opened in al-Sulaymaniyah province on Saturday, drawing filmmakers, artists, writers, and a large public audience for a three-day showcase of 29 short films representing regions across the Kurdistan Region.

Festival spokeswoman Charika Abdullah told Shafaq News the films covered social, humanitarian, and cultural themes alongside youth productions reflecting the Region's growing cinema movement. Daily screenings will be accompanied by panel discussions and artistic dialogues between filmmakers and critics, aimed at exchanging experience and developing the production environment.

The festival closes on Monday with an awards ceremony honoring winning films and recognizing directors, actors, and producers. Organizers expect audience turnout to grow over the coming days, given the diversity of the competing works and their engagement with local realities through contemporary storytelling.

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)leader Masoud Barzani has rejected attempts to proceed with Iraq’s presidentialelection in a session scheduled for Saturday, describing efforts to advance thevote without agreement on a prime minister as “unacceptable.”

In a post on X on Friday, Barzanicriticized factions within the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) —the largestparliamentary bloc with more than 185 seats in Iraq’s 329-member parliament— forpushing the presidential track while “others deliberately stall the selectionof a prime minister,” stressing that “no constitutional entitlement will moveforward” unless both files are resolved in parallel with full participationfrom all parties.

The persistence of certain factions within the Coordination Framework in pushing forward with the presidential election, while others deliberately stall the selection of a prime minister, is unacceptable. We stress that no constitutional entitlement will move forward unless this…

— Masoud Barzani (@masoud_barzani) April 10, 2026

Iraq’s Parliament Presidency has setApril 11 for the vote, a step required before naming a prime minister under thepost-2003 power-sharing system, which allocates the presidency to a Kurd, thepremiership to a Shiite, and the speakership to a Sunni Arab. The process hasstalled amid disputes between the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan(PUK) over a joint candidate, preventing the quorum needed for a vote.

Read more: Government Formation: Constitution that cannot enforce its own deadlines

On the Shiite side, the CF nominatedformer prime minister Nouri al-Maliki in January, but internal divisionsbetween supporters and opponents, along with US opposition, have delayedconsensus, with al-Maliki maintaining that any change must come through aformal alliance decision. Reflecting the broader deadlock, Second DeputySpeaker Farhad Atrushi from the KDP objected to proceeding with the session,arguing that political forces still need further dialogue and must be informedof any prime ministerial nominee before a vote.

Read more: Iraq PM race stuck between largest bloc dispute andUS pressure

Iraq has exceeded the constitutional30-day deadline to elect a president by more than two months, with 148 dayselapsed since the November 2025 elections and no government formed.

Shafaq News-Erbil

Multiple drone attacks targeted various locations across theKurdistan Region of Iraq late Thursday, the Kurdish Ministry of Interior said,condemning the strikes as "acts of terrorism" carried out despite thegovernment’s consistent commitment to peace and stability.

"Terroristsand saboteurs who cannot bear to see our country's security and progresscontinue their destructive course," the ministry said, adding thatcitizens of the Kurdistan Region had expected a return to normalcy followingthe ceasefire announcement in the region.

The attackscame one day after the Islamic Resistance in Iraq— an Iran-aligned armedfaction— announced a two-week halt to its operations in Iraq and the region,effective April 8, 2026, in line with the temporary ceasefire agreement betweenIran and the United States.

The Ministrycalled on all parties to immediately cease the attacks and urged that thesecurity and interests of Kurdistan Region citizens no longer be made a target.

On Friday, anexplosion was heard in the Soran administrative area northeast of Erbil, alocal source told Shafaq News, without it being immediately clear whether theblast was an attack or a drone interception.

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