Category Archives: Islamic Goup

Bloodshed again in Irbil: ‘Blood is Blood’!

Momen Zellmi

By Momen Zellmi: Parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on 30th April 2014. The elections were to decide the 328 members of the Council of Representatives, who will in turn elect the Iraqi President and Prime Minister. Meanwhile in the Kurdistan Region, there were also Provincial elections to elect the 90 provincial members from Irbil, Sulaimaniyah…

How do Kurds join Al Nusrah in Syria – and who are they?

By Momen Zellmi and Harem Karem: Ever since the start of Syria’s proxy war, people have travelled there to help the Syrians in their fight against the Assad regime; some for humanitarian reasons, some sponsored by rogue states, and others for ideological or religious purposes. They include people from all over the world. The Kurdistan…

PUK, KDP rivalries with opposition and religious parties in Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Interview with Pshtiwan Faraj*: Interviewed by Aras Ahmed Mhamad AA: Why do you think that the secular parties accuse the religious parties of being unpatriotic in national matters – and the religious parties accuse the secular parties of being enemies of God? PF: Last year I read ‘Iraq, The Borrowed Kettle’, a book by the…

Kurdish Islamic parties: Coalition list or independent lists?

Momen Zellmi

By Momen Zellmi: In July, the Kurdistan region is due to start campaigns for the presidential and parliamentary elections, due to be held on 21st September. The Independent Higher Commission for Elections in Iraq announced this on 23rd May and the recording of the names on the lists will continue until 4th July. There are…

The upcoming KRG elections: Possibilities for changes in power and political scenarios

Kamal Chomani

By Kamal Chomani: Although the date for the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) elections has not been set, given that the last elections were held on July 25, 2009, the next ones should be held by July 25, 2013. These might be completely different to previous elections held by the KRG. For the first time,…